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Demands in the transitional process of Zimbabwe
Women's Coalition
July 28, 2008

Background

Zimbabweans went to the polls on the 27th of March 2008 for the harmonized elections. The pre-elections period was relatively peaceful and women around the country felt a sense of freedom and personal security. WCoZ and its members encouraged women to participate in the elections as candidates, mobilizers, leaders, observers and monitors. However massive, calculated and targeted violence broke out soon after the elections and according to reports over 200 000 people have been displaced, among them an estimated 1/3 are women, 10 000 people have been treated for injuries and torture, over 120 have been killed and millions have been intimidated by militias.

Currently Zimbabwe is in a grave humanitarian and political crisis. The results of the runoff elections were rejected by the major observer missions and to date five African countries have refused to recognize the results of the runoff. The EU and USA have followed suit. The economy has basically spiraled out of control and salaries are no longer adequate for bus fare to work or purchase of the basics for daily survival.

It is in this vain that WCoZ welcomes the initiative to find a solution to the Zimbabwe Crisis through a negotiated settlement, ushering in a democratic dispensation in the near future. These are demands of women in the transitional phase;

Participation of women and girls in peace processes

Informal peace processes

Women of Zimbabwe have long campaigned for peace and disarmament for militias in Zimbabwe and have campaigned for various aspects of peace building efforts at the personal, communal and regional levels. Such efforts need to be recognized and supported for the benefit of the Zimbabwean community.

Formal Peace Processes

Women demand a place at the negotiating table, as politicians and as civic society to make the negotiations and resolutions gender sensitive. There is an urgent need to have women input since they bore the brunt of the violence and suffering and will lead effectively peace building and socio-economic and political reconstruction processes. Experiences, reports and insights from women should form part of the considerations in the negotiation processes. Issues of central concern to women, including our post conflict political, social, civil, economic and judicial structure should be brought into the negotiations.

Politically motivated violence

We demand cessation of organized and targeted violence against the citizens, particularly the use of women and girls as weapons of 'war', evidenced by the brutal battering of women's buttocks, rape and sexual abuse/slavery. In this regard the government must disarm militias. This move will in the short term improve and in the medium term guarantee the safety and security of women and girls.

Bases and militias

Demand the immediate disbanding of the militias, comprised of youths, security agents and one terror group code named Chipangano, which have caused terror and havoc in the rural and urban areas exacerbating the humanitarian situation by creating internal refugees. We demand the disbanding of torture bases where gross abuses of women are taking place including forced labor (cooking and cleaning) and sexual slavery and demobilization and reintegration of militias.

Humanitarian crisis and intervention

Zimbabwe had an extremely bad harvest in the last season and food security for women and children has been poor. There is need to allow humanitarian NGOs unhindered access to urban and rural areas and we also request funding partners to channel massive resources towards humanitarian assistance until the next harvest. Humanitarian assistance should be gender sensitive and focus towards further protecting women and girls from violence and abuse.

Political, civil and judicial reconstruction

There is an urgent need to rebuild the 20 000 houses destroyed in the violence as restitution for the families. Such families will also require assistance with food, draft power, seeds fertilizers and an assurance of their security.
Need for measures and programmes to build peace, confidence and restore the dignity of women and children
Access to accurate information for Women Coalition
Opening up of democratic space for women

Economic Reconstruction

Women should be involved fully in programmes to rebuild the economy at all levels of the society.

Social reconstruction

WCoZ demands the reconstruction of the health delivery system to provide adequate and affordable health services to women and the general community. The education and social services institutions need major rehabilitation to service populations of Zimbabweans.

• Allow access to ART and care for women and children
• Social Healing and intergration
• Justice delivery system

Request especially the SADC, AU and UN to:

I. Establish programme of engagement with Zimbabwe for protection of human rights especially for women, girls and children. Security and safety of women and children should be guaranteed.

II. Mandate and support a Special Rapportuer on Violence Against Women to do a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe and support the efforts of community, grassroots and other organisations living in a culture of fear, survivors of violence and abuse.

III. Engage with Zimbabwe government and authorities to stop the violence, and demand the state to protect ordinary people's lives.

IV. Encourage and support for humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe, especially in support of food, health and education for rural communities and mostly the displaced.

Request the Leadership of SADC, the African Union and the United Nations to demand ZANU PF government to stop using violence against its people and TAKE TANGIBLE actions if the violence continues.

Visit the Women's Coalition fact sheet

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