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to main article ENVISION
and its framework "Reconstruction of Zimbabwe" launched
ENVISION
Zimbabwe Women's Trust
March 27, 2009
ENVISION Zimbabwe Women's
Trust conducted its momentous launch on Friday, March 27th, 2009
at the Jameson Hotel in Harare.
ENVISION Zimbabwe Women's
Trust comprises women and men from different sectors and political
affiliations who are engaged in discussions on Zimbabwean developmental
challenges. ENVISION's purpose is to create various mediums
and forums for women from all walks of life to engage with our male
counterparts in research, discussion, policy and strategy development
to address Zimbabwe's reconstruction challenges. ENVISION
strives to promote this engagement through debate, Conflict Resolution
and Transformation workshops, and advocacy.
Dr. Amy Tsanga,
who is the deputy director of the Women's Law Center at the University
of Zimbabwe and also the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers
Association Board, gave the Keynote Address. Dr. Tsanga, who holds
a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Zimbabwe, a certificate in
Law and Development from the University of Warwick (UK), and a diploma
in Women's Law from the University of Oslo, focuses on human rights
and law and gender.
Dr. Fay Chung
introduced ENVISION's framework, "The Reconstruction
of Zimbabwe, A Draft Framework: Promoting Dialogue" at the
launch. The paper aims to provoke thought and promote dialogue on
the expectations Zimbabweans have of the State of Zimbabwe. It does
not provide a "how to" guide to state building, but
is an attempt to generate public discussion on the action needed
for such a process. In light of the failure of the State of Zimbabwe
to maintain basic order which has generated fear as a constant aspect
of daily life, the majority of the people of Zimbabwe simply want
their government, economy and society to function. With the new
dispensation confronting Zimbabwe, ENVISION considers that it is
now an opportune moment to address these issues and highlight priorities
that can form a basis for discussion.
ENVISION
Zimbabwe Women's Trust Trustees
Fay Chung: Fay
is a Zimbabwean educator. During the Liberation Struggle she was
head of Research and Teacher Education for Zimbabwean refugee schools
in Mozambique (1977 - 1980). She served in various capacities
in the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education, eventually as Minister of
Education. She left Government in 1993 to join UNICEF, New York
as Chief of Education. She is profoundly interested in the renewal
of Zimbabwean institutions. Fay is also a member of the National
Education Advisory Board.
Tsitsi Dangarembga
is a novelist, playwright, filmmaker and activist. Her works have
won numerous awards all over the world. She was a founding force
behind many Zimbabwean arts and women's initiatives, including Zimbabwe
Association of Community Theatre, the Women's
Action Group, Zimbabwe Women Writers and the International Images
Film Festival for Women, where she is currently director. She received
the Arts Personality of the Year Award and the Arts Service Award
from the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe in 2006 and 2007 respectively,
and is interested in the use of culture as a tool for progress and
development.
Rudo Gaidzanwa: Associate
Professor of Sociology at the University of Zimbabwe. Ran as an
independent candidate in the March 2008 election. She served as
a Constitution Commissioner (1999-2000), and is on various boards
and committees, including being a founder and trustee of the Women's
University in Africa. She teaches Social Policy and is a feminist
human rights activist and mother.
Chiyedza Nyahuye is a
woman of many trades, with her academic qualifications of Bachelors
of International Development Studies from Macalester College in
St. Paul, USA and Masters of Public Policy, Public Health from the
University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA. She is also a gender
mainstreaming, gender based violence and policy analysis consultant;
workshop facilitator; drama teacher; professional massage and reikhi
therapist; counsellor; playwright, actress, singer, dancer and musician.
Having lived in China and the United States for nine years, she
is determined to stay home and invest her energy, skills and talents
in entrepreneurial pursuits.
Diana Patel is Deputy
Director of a public health NGO focusing on the prevention of mother
to child transmission of HIV and former senior lecturer in the Department
of Sociology at the University of Zimbabwe, where she still teaches
Social Policy and Social Planning in the masters programme. She
has worked as a consultant in various areas of social policy for
the UN, USAID, World Bank, DANIDA and the Government of Zimbabwe.
Presently, much of her works focuses on community engagement and
psycho-social support.
Trudy Stevenson:
Former MDC MP for Harare North Constituency 2000-2008. A human and
women's rights activist, she is past president of the Zimbabwe Association
of University Women and a founder member of the Women's Coalition,
founder and former legal committee chairperson of the Combined
Harare Residents Association, National Task Force member of
the National Constitutional
Assembly and former trustee of the Zimbabwe Institute. A linguist
and teacher by profession, she administered the French Research
Centre (CREDU-IFRA-CIRAD) in Harare for 12 years before entering
Parliament. Trudy is also a member of the National Education Advisory
Board.
ENVISION members include
Heeten Bhagat, Caroline Makoni and Leo Wamwanduka
For further information contact nehanda69@yahoo.com
tel 0912 733 098 or trudys@zol.co.zw
tel 0912 247 141
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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