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WOZA
Moya May 2004 - Demand your Right to Education!
Women of
Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
May 2004
March with us
on Saturday 29th May to DEMAND our Right to Education! MINYWANA
PHEZULU - HANDS UP - ZVIGUNO MUDENGA HANDS UP FOR GIRLS' EDUCATION
- HANDS UP FOR WOMENS' LIBERATION EDUCATION FOR ALL! It is Global
Campaign for Education Week.
In 1980, our
government promised us the RIGHT to EDUCATION. This right is also
in The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, in the African
Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and in our Education
Act. The international community also undertook to provide EDUCATION
FOR ALL by 2015
and an equal number of boys and girls in school by year 2005!
SHOULD WE HAVE
TO PAY FOR THIS RIGHT? NO! Government must provide education for
our children for all children. Sixty percent of those out-of-schools
are GIRLS! Worldwide numbers reveal shocking levels of inequality
in education between boys and girls: 860 million adults cannot read
or write, two thirds of these are women says the Global Campaign
for Education.
MORE MONEY MUST
BE ALLOCATED FOR EDUCATION! Government money spent on schools almost
all goes to teachers' salaries. There is nothing left for books,
stationery, buildings, maintenance, sports, equipment, cleaning
etc. So parents are told to pay for everything else, and school
fees go up and up and up!
WHY IS GOVERNMENT
NOT ALLOCATING ENOUGH MONEY FOR OUR EDUCATION? They are spending
money on the wrong things, and do not consult us when making decisions:
Examples are: National service, teaching our children violence and
lies; Buying more equipment for the armed forces and employing more
Police and CIO to stop us speaking out and Cars for chiefs. We want
free EDUCATION - SKYROCKETING SCHOOL FEES is draining our pockets.
HANDS UP FOR GIRLS EDUCATION if you want to build a nation!
Kofi Annan,
Secretary General- United Nations said, "To educate girls is to
reduce poverty. That is the lesson that unites us today. No other
police is a likely to raise economic productivity, improve nutrition
and promote health."
HANDS UP FOR
WOMENS' LIBERATION It was Africa Liberation Day! Did women enjoy
the freedom they fought for! According to a United Nations Survey,
Women do 90% of the work but only earn 10%
of the income and own 1% of the wealth of nations. If this was a
cake, we would only receive the small slices, and the rest of the
cake would be eaten by men. Is this WHAT we WANT? Is this WHAT we
WANT for our DAUGHTERS? WOZA says ZVAKWANA - SOKWANELE ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH IN ZIMBABWE women are 52% of the population.
Women also make
up the majority of voters in Zimbabwe despite this they are in the
minority in terms of running for political office. In next years
parliamentary election we only see 4 women make it to parliament,
the lowest number of women since Independence? Come on Sisters;
let us join hands to change this. Surely with 40 women in parliament
there could be an end to this suffering? We remember the words of
Yvonne Mahlunge, legal practitioner and a politician "The biggest
tragedy for the future of every woman and unborn girl child in Zimbabwe
is if we as the women are caught unprepared and miss the political
bus once again."
Women have strengths
that amaze men! These are the skills that we must use to make Zimbabwe
great. WOMEN CAN: CARRY hardships, they carry burdens but they hold
happiness, love and joy. SMILE when they want to scream and sing
when they want to cry. CRY when they are happy and laugh when they
are nervous. FIGHT for what they believe in and stand up for injustice.
DON'T TAKE "NO" for an answer when they believe there is a better
solution. GO WITHOUT so their family can have. MOURN the loss of
a relative, yet they can be strong when they think there is no strength
left. GIVE a hug and a kiss to heal a broken heart. The heart of
a woman is what makes the world spin! Women have a lot to say and
a lot to give, they can SPEAK OUT!
In the next
issue: World Refugee Day March Sat 19 June. Do we want to become
a REFUGEE/ISIPHEPHELI/ MUPOTERI?
Download a copy
of the
Visit the Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) fact
sheet
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