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WOZA
conducts inaugural Assembly
Jenni
Williams, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
November
08, 2004
ONE hundred and Seventy
Five WOZA women came together this weekend from over 30 communities to
conduct their inaugural Assembly, dubbed the Sheroes Assembly. The objective
of the assembly was to confirm the mandate of WOZA, conduct elections
for leadership and plan the way forward.
WOZA convened the
meeting in secret at a remote location in Zimbabwe and as a result women
escaped arrest under the Public Order Security Act (POSA) and were able
to exercise all their basic freedoms without disturbance by those who
are fast becoming the slaves of POSA, the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Women recognised that
they are meeting at a time when they and their families have more problems
than hope.
- Food is hard to
come by in quantity and most women trading informally cannot afford
3 meals a day any longer. Many remain hungry and some of the Matabeleland
women talked of relatives in the rural areas who are starving to death.
- Most WOZA women
are informal traders having been rendered jobless. Jobs are scarce and
more are being made jobless every week.
- Education and Health,
which were to be provided, free of charge to a free Zimbabwe remains
an unanswered promise of the Mugabe regime. Many women see their daughters
being sacrificed to send male children to school.
- Most Grandmothers
present testified to the challenges they are facing by having become
'mothers' to HIV/Aids orphans whom they have to feed, clothe and school.
There are already over one million orphans in Zimbabwe needing care.
- Women continue
to be suppressed and 'sacrificed' in the fight for daily survival and
competition to earn a crust.
- Due to the political
crisis and deep frustration in the nation, gender violence continues
to increase.
- The regime has
become more oppressive in the last 6 weeks despite the signing of the
SADC protocol and Zimbabweans will have to lobby harder for their basic
Freedoms to be respected.
- Many other socio-economic
problems were identified but it was recognised that these stem from
bad governance that has caused the nation to loose its 'soul'.
Women also recognised
that the democratic struggle in Zimbabwe is very prone to commercialisation
by opportunists. WOZA should guard itself against such opportunism, as
it will prolong the struggle for freedom. Many organisations are still
staffed by people who are 'scared stiff' and can no longer flex their
muscles to do rights work or empower suffering Zimbabweans.
The body endorsed
the mandate of WOZA. WOZA will continue to speak out, lobbying and conduct
advocacy within communities towards an end to the current crisis and the
resultant suffering imposed of the people of Zimbabwe. Although about
500 women have been arrested during peaceful protests, WOZA resolved to
continue organising civil disobedience protests on burning issues in their
'motherly' and unique way. They further resolved to include rural women
in the struggle and will expand their rights activities. Along with the
visible street protests WOZA convenes secret meetings and workshops to
empower women with knowledge about their rights and how to act on them.
Women thanked their
'sisters in the diaspora' for being in solidarity with them by conducting
simultaneous protests at Zimbabwean embassies and asked them to continue.
WOZA conduct a programme called the 'Dignify a Zimbabwean Sister' and
through this many women receive monthly hygiene parcels and messages of
encouragement from sisters all over the world. Appreciation was expressed
for this solidarity.
Elections were conducted
and a leadership is now in place with a mandate for the next year, and
hopefully by then the raft of unjust laws will be repealed and the identity
of the peaceful activists that lead WOZA will no longer be subject to
secrecy. The leadership criteria for WOZA match their action mandate.
Has a high level of courage and good mobilizing capabilities. The candidate
has a record of attendance in past activities and volunteers to do administrative
and organizing functions. Follows the Sisterhood Promise and is humble
enough to work within their community despite being a leader.
Members present signed
the Sisterhood Bond and were tasked to recruit members far and wide to
this 'Sisterhood' so that the female constituency of Zimbabwe can unite
ahead of the March 2005 Elections to lobby for adoption of SADC protocols
and women must 'be free to vote fairly' for a candidate of their choice
including female candidates.
WOZA recognise that
their most powerful mobilising tool is their love for their freedoms and
the fact that Zimbabweans can be taught that the power of love is more
powerful than the love of power. A plan of action for the next year has
been proposed and WOZA women went their separate ways to mobilise for
peaceful action defying public enemy number one - POSA.
In the words spoken
by the Sheroes..
- IWOZA isikhwince
izidwaba (WOZA Women have lifted their skirts ready for action.) Tagadzirira
Kuzadza majeri (We are prepared to fill the jails).
- Tagadzirira kuzvarira
munzira, kusvika zvanaka. (We are prepared to give birth on the road
until things are all right.)
- Mugabe u sufike
ko mlindi uyacina! WOZA Bo mama, Sokwanele, sokwanele asisa buyeli emuva.
(Mugabe your back is against the wall, WOZA women enough is enough;
there is no turning back.)
WOZA MOYA - Aluta
Continua for a free Zimbabwe!
Visit
the WOZA fact
sheet
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