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Last Week at a Glance - Issue 69
Women's Coalition
August 17, 2011

My Thoughts

It was indeed a short working week since the first two days of the week were holidays for the Heroes and Defence Forces. Do we celebrate our heroes adequately as women, do we even know who they are? Have we created platforms to celebrate each other?

This week's edition will focus on the recent SADC 2011 Gender Barometer Launch and other activities such as the Health cluster meeting. Enjoy.

SADC Protocol Alliance Launches the 3rd SADC Gender Protocol Barometer

The third SADC Protocol Barometer was launched on the 11th of August by the guest of honour Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa, Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma. The 3rd Barometer has 325 pages of statistics and analysis, which makes it one of the richest sources of information. SADC Protocol Alliance members thanked Gender Links and all researchers who worked on the document.

Speaking at the launch, the guest of honour, Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma reminded women to recognize and utilise their power. She warned that men will not automatically give women what they want, but women have to push leaders to do what is right for them. She gave an example of the ANC which was formed in 1912 and only recognized women as members in 1947. However the ANC has become a model organisation in its inclusion of women because of their efforts.

She encouraged civic society to continue working with women in leadership to build their capacity and also remind them of the women's agenda. She encouraged women to unite and work together as this will make them strong and unshakable. She also reminded us that there was need for gender parity in all spheres, parliament, the judiciary and the private sector.

Women will be served better in the judiciary if there is a critical mass of women who understand the dynamics of gender discrimination.

The Director of Gender Links, Colin Morna Lowe presented the highlights of the barometer, Emma Kaliya from Malawi and Matrine Bhuku Chuulu spoke on Behalf of Alliance members.

The Green T-shirt movement by Women of Zambia - Women's participation in constitution making does not guarantee a gender sensitive constitution?

Netsai Mushonga of the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe, Fanny Chirisa of WIPSU and Naome Chimbetete of ZWRCN attended the SADC Protocol Alliance annual meeting in Johannesburg from the 10th to the 11th of August 2011.

The SADC Protocol Alliance meetings are a period for networking and sharing among women rights activists in Southern Africa. Matrine Bhuku Chuulu, the Regional Coordinator of WiLSA Southern Africa presented on the efforts of Zambian women to get their issues included in the draft constitution. She reported that Zambia has been undergoing a constitutional reform process. Women were quick to draft their own Bill of Rights and submitted it to the Constitutional Review Committee. It was well received and was made one of the resources of the Constitutional Review Committee. However when the draft constitution was released women quickly did a gender analysis of it and were shocked to discover that it did not contain their basic human rights by the standards of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. The Bill of Rights had been made subject to customary law!

The women decided to mobilise across Zambia and embarked on a protest by wearing green T-shirts every Friday. They also lobbied with political parties, policy makers and the president. Their message was very simple, "No women's rights, no constitution for Zambia". The Constitution Bill was defeated in parliament due to this strong mobilisation, lobby and advocacy. The struggle continues for women of Zambia who are determined to secure all their constitutional rights.

This serves as a wake up call for women of Zimbabwe. How closely are we tracking the constitution making process? Will our human rights be reflected in the draft constitution, if not what are we going to do and most importantly, Are we up to the challenge?

Health Cluster Meeting

Five member organisations namely Women's Action Group (WAG), Katswe Sisterhood, Pamuhacha, Women AIDS Support Network and SAYWHAT attended the Health Cluster meeting on the 2nd August 2011.

The deliberations of the meeting focused on the update of the Round 11 of the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is an international financing institution that invests the world's money to save lives. To date, it has committed USD22.4 billion in 150 countries to support large scale prevention, treatment and care programmes against the three diseases. Under Round 11, Zimbabwe will apply for funding for HIV, TB programmes and health community systems strengthening. Malaria programmed will not be included because a grant was approved under Round 10.

The meeting also deliberated on the upcoming launch of the HIV research on women and girls which is slated for the 15th of September 2011 where the technical committee will present research findings of the book entitled Situation Analysis of Women and Girls Affected and Infected by HIV and AIDS in Rural and Peri-urban Areas - A case study of Mashonaland East, Midlands and Matabeleland South Provinces of Zimbabwe.

As a way forward, the cluster will convene meetings regularly to look into issues that are affecting women in the health sector such as access to maternal health services which is a challenge for women ; monitoring the work on accelerated campaign on maternal mortality in Africa and condom programming in Zimbabwe needs to be addressed

Civil Society Representatives meet the SADC Facilitation Team

Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) was part of the civil society delegation that met with the South African Facilitation team on the 11th of August 2011. The meeting was organized for civil society to present their position on the country's roadmap to elections prior to the SADC Summit meeting in Angola from the 16th - 18th of August 2011.

The meeting provided WCoZ with a platform to submit the WCoZ Road Map to Elections and one of the issues raised was the impact of political violence on women and other concerns on the current political environment which is not conducive for holding free and fair election. Other representatives from civil society were from Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Elections Support Network and National Association of Non-Governamental Organisations

Upcoming Events

• 18 August 2011 Policy Engagement Meeting with Police and Health Officers in Midlands.
• 25 August 2011 Cross Provincial Meeting for the WCoZ Peace Building Project
• 26 August 2011 WCoZ Peace Building Steering Committee Meeting
• 30 August 2011 WCoZ Members' Meeting

Visit the Women's Coalition fact sheet

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