Back to Index

Women's Assembly celebrates International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
November 29, 2011

The MDC Women's Assembly today joins the world in celebrating Women Human Rights Defenders Day. Women in their diversity and across generations have played a major role in upholding human rights from pre-colonial Zimbabwe, the liberation struggle and the current post independence Zimbabwe.

While the status of the women remains a critical area of concern, the environment in which women human rights defenders operate under continues to shrink and their voices suppressed. Women are concerned with the ever escalating politically- motivated violence in the country, with Zanu PF leadership only paying lip service to peace and non-violence.

The police are partisan and continue to serve a few individuals at the expense of the nation. Zanu PF thugs are roaming the streets free, committing acts of terror with impunity under the watchful eye of the police. The justice delivery system continues to be unfriendly to women. The corrupt patronage system engrained in our society affects the gender dynamics in communities resulting in no or under reporting of violence against women including sexual violence.

The Assembly applauds the brave women human rights activists in Zimbabwe and is committed to supporting, collaborating and complementing all initiatives towards advancing women's human rights in Zimbabwe. The women of Zimbabwe await and continue to work tirelessly towards a new democratic Zimbabwe where women participate fully and equally in all decision making processes.

This week also marked the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence under the theme of" From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women".

We call every Zimbabwe therefore to take time to reflect, celebrate, support and protect human rights in Zimbabwe. The women of Zimbabwe deserve their respect; they deserve their dignity, security, prosperity and hope in an environment that promotes growth and advancement. Women's rights are human rights that need to be upheld for the betterment of our society.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP