As Law and Order police officers in Masvingo, Mutare and Bulawayo looked high and low for WOZA leaders, three hundred and forty three members attended the fourth annual assembly at a secret location in Matabeleland South from the 17th to 19th August 2007. Members, both male and female, converged from Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo, Gweru and Harare with a large contingent from rural areas. This year’s theme was, ‘beaten, jailed but still determined to be free.’

The gathering is known as ‘Sheroes’ as it honours modern day sheroes. It is planned annually to celebrate the courage of ordinary women doing the extraordinary at the same time as the Government of Zimbabwe talks about their ‘heroes’.

The final session saw debate on the upcoming elections in 2008, which centered on whether members should support an election without the safeguard of a people-driven constitution or boycott proceedings due to the lack of a level playing field. A sample vote was conducted with the majority wanting to vote provided there are some electoral reforms and repealing of unjust laws such as POSA and AIPPA. The debate will now be taken to community meetings to finalise our position.

The main resolution of the Assembly was that WOZA, through its National Coordinator, Jenni Williams, was to continue to work with like-minded civic groups to pressure the ruling and opposition party to allow for a people-driven constitution-making process and to push for a transitional process that will allow this process to be conducted in an atmosphere of respect and equality.

The only civic group able to send representatives was Uhuru, as the assembly dates coincided with the SADC conference in Zambia. A South African activist was able to attend to witness proceedings and ‘learn about grassroots democracy’. She hailed the People’s Charter as a progressive route out of the governance crisis in Zimbabwe.

To brace with an expanding membership currently estimated to be over 55,000, the leadership body called ‘Mother WOZA’ has expanded. The election of 43 office bearers was conducted in a spirit of democracy. All candidates went through a process of their nomination being first confirmed within their community before they could stand at the congress. Unfortunately as they mostly work underground their names must be withheld until the government of Zimbabwe learns how to respect human rights defenders. The Uhuru delegates declared the elections to be free and fair and recommended that the government of Robert Mugabe could learn from WOZA on how to conduct an election.

Other business included the formulation of an urban and rural plan of action and a plan to intensify training on strategic non-violence.
Rural mobilisers also testified as to how they mobilise. In responding to the question about how they can mobilise so successfully when traditional leaders have lost their ability to be non-partisan, they responded, “when someone wants to be free they will always find a way to get there!” They said they ignored the threats and intimidation by telling each other “if you are a leader you must not have any fear and not be scared to address the situation. The chiefs now like us because they say we address the issues that are a reality in the country.” They went further to say that although war veterans and Zanu PF supporters continue to harass them, they remain determined to keep on demonstrating and working together as a team “so that they will finally agree with what we are fighting for – whether they like it or not.”

When asked the secret of their success they said, “When we are mobilizing people we do this area by area. We explain to them who we are and what we do and what our goal is. Also if you are a woman of substance, respect and honour in your area you are bound to mobilize the right people.” As simple as that!

One woman testified that she is unable to benefit from food aid as she is a known WOZA member but that her friends pass on food to her anyway as the demonstration WOZA members carried out in July is attributed with putting enough pressure of the government to bring food aid to their district.

The Amnesty International report, ‘Women Human Rights Defenders At Risk – Between a Rock and a Hard Place’ was tabled and acknowledged as a true reflection of the challenges faced by WOZA and MOZA members. The recommendations outlined in the report were also hailed and will be incorporated into advocacy campaigns.

The assembly closed without a police raid but a bus, which had been transporting delegates was later arrested and placed under ‘house arrest’. The owner is being made to face charges ‘of using Zanu PF fuel to transport WOZA women.’ This incident epitomizes the crisis in Zimbabwe that even business people are under pressure to be appropriated to Zanu PF.

The new leadership of WOZA/MOZA announce their commitment to continue to act, recruit and train Zimbabweans until they overcome their fear and are able to come out in peaceful protest in numbers that will force a transition and bring about a political leadership that will deliver the social justice promised during the liberation war.

Sports page:
Insiza, with Harare and Gweru in second and third place respectively, won the Sheroes netball tournament. A mixed soccer tournament was also held but the final between Bulawayo and Mutare was unable to be completed due to a ZESA black out.

WOZA calls on Zimbabweans to practice the spirit of Ubuntu for the love of Zimbabwe
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) will conduct their traditional Valentines Days peaceful protests, handing out red roses and calling on public office bearers to practice the spirit of Ubuntu (I am because we are) and realise that they represent people, and should do by respecting their own and the peoples dignity. This activity comes at a time when the nation is shocked by revelations’ of obscene salaries being earned by office bearers. As this looting continues unchecked, the economy crumbles.

The anniversary of the referendum soon approaches on 16 March 2014 but very little has been done to harmonise laws so that the full richness of the constitution can provide much needed dignity to citizens and empower them with ways to check theft of public finance, corruption and to recall representatives who have been missing from their constituencies since the July 2013 election.

Valentine’s Day also comes at a time when the promise of free primary education a foundation of the liberation war and a clause in the constitution declaration of rights is in disarray. School levies have skyrocketed and corruption in schools has now reached unacceptable levels. Members of WOZA report that more children are being chased away from school. The Basic education Assistance Module, (BEAM) has been bankrupted and has been discontinued, when just one month’s salary of former CEO of the Premier Services Medical Aid could have paid fees for hundreds vulnerable children. During the peaceful marches WOZA will be exposing these injustices and demanding the urgent activation of the constitution, with the delivery of primary schooling as a priority to be met by 30 December 2014.

WOZA also support the joint position of civic society regarding the need for more transparency and accountability by public officials. The statement by CSOs calls for the government to take urgent action to restore sanity by “instituting a commission of enquiry tasked with further investigating the obscene salary saga, ‘tenderpreneurship’ and any other underhand dealings taking place in the public sector”. The statement also calls for the dismissing all those found to be on the wrong side of the law. WOZA along with CSOs also expects the dismissing all board members implicated, naming and shaming them and also calling on them to right the wrong by paying back the money or donating to BEAM.

WOZA ask members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police to respect the right to protest and petition contained in the constitution and ask them not to trample upon the roses of love. Valentines Woza Moya 2014

The two members arrested on Thursday whilst taking food into Masvingo Central Police Station have finally been released. They were not charged. Police had promised the lawyer that they would be released last night and then first thing this morning. They were finally released at noon.

The entire group of 18 members in total therefore spent two nights in custody for absolutely no reason than the repressive Zimbabwean regime appears to be terrified of its own citizens. Arbitrary arrest, beatings and torture are standard experiences of human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, yet WOZA remains determined to continue with our nonviolent campaign for the social justice outlined in our People’s Charter.

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it. –Rabindranath Tagore

WOZA calls on Zimbabweans to beat the drum of peace and development to break the silence on violence

WOZA joins the rest of the world’s activists in campaigning for an end to gender-based violence in the year 2013. To mark the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the organisation chose to look beyond the sphere of physical violence to consider the position of women in a society which perpetrates systemic violence and socio-economic disadvantage. Violence against women includes the range of abuses committed against women that stem from gender inequality and women’s subordinate status in society relative to men.

WOZA, an organisation of human rights defenders campaign against violence in all its forms all year long, but chose to march on women human rights defenders day 29 November 2013 to raise the profile of this special day. WOZA will march the same route they marched on this day in 2006 to launch their peoples charter. On this day over a hundred members were beaten and arrested, broken limbs of adults and a baby the brunt of police baton sticks.

To mobilise for this special day, WOZA conducted a survey amongst a total of 7 180 of its members, with 6 428 being women, to investigate their perceptions of women’s position in their communities. Special attention was paid on whether women’s economic status was improving or deteriorating. Members were asked to comment on a series of statements arrived at as a result of the discussion around the ZANU PF Elections theme, the “Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) and the continuing engendered analysis of development on how women were fulfilling their role in their homes and in society. Since the universal 16 Days of activism campaign calls for more substantial responses on the part of governments to act with due diligence in protecting and preventing gender-based violence, members were also required to give comments regarding benefits from government development programmes.

The results were clear. 81% of WOZA Harare and Bulawayo members do not believe that women are respected and do not believe that violence against them has ceased. 89% of member do not believe that they will be able to benefit from the ZANU PF’s indigenization policies, and 68,2% expressed that the police harassment and criminalization of women informal traders must stop for socio economic growth but many called for job creation as an alternative. All believed that women were working very hard to create food security for their families, but many noted that this was done against all odds. The vast majority believe the development situation in their communities had deteriorated. They do not believe that ZANU PF will implement the new constitution effectively. The responses show great disillusionment with and distrust of government and a keen sense of the disadvantages felt by women in spite of their hard work to provide for their families. The scars that women bear today are not just a result of physical violence but are deep rooted in years of poor governance by the state, emotional and psychological manipulation in the home, community and workplace as well as deliberate marginalization of women in all spheres of life. It does not need to be physical violence for women to bear the scars of abuse.

In a list of demands contained in the report, WOZA members demand Free primary education was promised, but children are still chased away from school due to non-payment of fees; A programme and funding plan for the better roads promised by the president in his inauguration speech and an initial position was taken against the proposed urban toll gate project. Members also demand land, inputs and to be shared equally among men and women and in a non partisan framework. Moreover, women and youth are waiting for the re-opening of industries to create employment and the detailed plan as to how these firms will create 2 million jobs with a living wage as promised during campaigns.
The same group of citizens demand income generating projects for women and these projects should be distributed in a non partisan system. The vulnerable and the disadvantaged in communities, such as the elderly, the orphans, disabled and widowed are still suffering and being made to complete food aid forms to no avail. WOZA members demand home ownership; city council should build homes for people and there should be transparency in the distribution of stands. Residents are tired of being lodgers and paying high rentals. Last but not least, they demand the ZimAsset programme to urgently provide affordable and nutritious home grown food and to put women first in all the ZimAsset implementation programmes

WOZA made additionally recommendations on a number of premises that include devolution, activation of the constitution, working public institutions, community involvement, civic education, as well as justice and fairness.
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See the full report on our website at the following link
http://wozazim.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WOZA-Report-Zim-beat-the-drum-of-peace-and-development-to-break-the-silence-on-violence.pdf

EIGHT hundred members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) began two separate peaceful protests at 2pm on Monday 2 December 2013. Their objective to march to parliament and hand over a petition. The petition being a research report produced under the 16 days of activism against gender based violence – Zimbabweans beat the drum of peace and development to break the silence on violence.

Both protests began without incident and converged on the Kwame Nkrumah entrance of parliament at 2:15pm. WOZA national coordinator began to negotiate for someone to officially receive the petition. A female officer was assisting and asked Williams to please request silence from the singing members. Members then observed non violent discipline and sat down on the hot tarmac with the blazing sun on their heads.

Seconds dragged to many minutes and it became apparent the clerk of parliament would not attend to receive the petition. Police officers, schooled in the culture of harassment continued to attempt to disperse the protesters and tried to scatter members by attempting to drive their truck into the crowd. Despite this obvious attempt to curb the right to protest, WOZA members remained resolute and started to sing a shone song saying – we also have rights!

After a 30 minutes wait, Williams was directed to the counsel to parliament, Ms Gladys Pise who received the petition and provided proof.

WOZA national coordinator, Jenni Williams then addressed members informing them that the petition had been delivered and asked members to go peacefully home and await a formal response from parliament. WOZA members then formally left parliament with the police officers still obviously restraining themselves in frustration at the new constitution clauses on respect for the right to petition.

WOZA express dismay that the police in Bulawayo seem to have not had the same training on the new ‘right to petition’ as the Harare police officers seem to have had. Once again the Bulawayo police officers have shown that there is selective harshness in responding to protests in Bulawayo. WOZA members are still shocked that Bulawayo police bosses ordered the deployment of police dogs to run the peacefully protesting members out of town. WOZA expects to take legal action against the police for wrongful arrest and for curtailing the right to protest and use of maximum force against members.

The 16 members, six women and nine men, arrested on Tuesday afternoon for playing netball and football were all finally released this afternoon. Police harassment of WOZA continued however as two other members, Winnie Sadeya and Eurita Singemde, were arrested at lunchtime whilst taking in food to the group. The two women are still in custody tonight.

Six members, who had been tortured and were in a lot of pain, paid admission of guilt fines and were released earlier today. Three of these members received medical attention; two for beatings on the soles of their feet and the third potentially has a broken hand from beaten with a baton stick.

The circumstances of the release of the remaining ten were not clear as the support team awaiting their release had to leave town after being chased by Law and Order officers. The lawyer had indicated that when was leaving the station, the group had been instructed to remain behind to await a lecture by Dispol (the district police authority) about their behaviour. It seems that the authorities in Masvingo are extremely rattled by social netball and football – sports fans beware!

WOZA calls on Zimbabweans to beat the drum of peace and development to break the silence on violence

WOZA joins the rest of the world’s activists in campaigning for an end to gender-based violence in the year 2013. To mark the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the organisation chose to look beyond the sphere of physical violence to consider the position of women in a society which perpetrates systemic violence and socio-economic disadvantage. Violence against women includes the range of abuses committed against women that stem from gender inequality and women’s subordinate status in society relative to men.

WOZA, an organisation of human rights defenders campaign against violence in all its forms all year long, but chose to march on women human rights defenders day 29 November 2013 to raise the profile of this special day. WOZA will march the same route they marched on this day in 2006 to launch their peoples charter. On this day over a hundred members were beaten and arrested, broken limbs of adults and a baby the brunt of police baton sticks.

To mobilise for this special day, WOZA conducted a survey amongst a total of 7 180 of its members, with 6 428 being women, to investigate their perceptions of women’s position in their communities. Special attention was paid on whether women’s economic status was improving or deteriorating. Members were asked to comment on a series of statements arrived at as a result of the discussion around the ZANU PF Elections theme, the “Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) and the continuing engendered analysis of development on how women were fulfilling their role in their homes and in society. Since the universal 16 Days of activism campaign calls for more substantial responses on the part of governments to act with due diligence in protecting and preventing gender-based violence, members were also required to give comments regarding benefits from government development programmes.

The results were clear. 81% of WOZA Harare and Bulawayo members do not believe that women are respected and do not believe that violence against them has ceased. 89% of member do not believe that they will be able to benefit from the ZANU PF’s indigenization policies, and 68,2% expressed that the police harassment and criminalization of women informal traders must stop for socio economic growth but many called for job creation as an alternative. All believed that women were working very hard to create food security for their families, but many noted that this was done against all odds. The vast majority believe the development situation in their communities had deteriorated. They do not believe that ZANU PF will implement the new constitution effectively.

The responses show great disillusionment with and distrust of government and a keen sense of the disadvantages felt by women in spite of their hard work to provide for their families. The scars that women bear today are not just a result of physical violence but are deep rooted in years of poor governance by the state, emotional and psychological manipulation in the home, community and workplace as well as deliberate marginalization of women in all spheres of life. It does not need to be physical violence for women to bear the scars of abuse. In a list of demands contained in the report, WOZA members demand Free primary education was promised, but children are still chased away from school due to non-payment of fees; A programme and funding plan for the better roads promised by the president in his inauguration speech and an initial position was taken against the proposed urban toll gate project. Members also demand land, inputs and to be shared equally among men and women and in a non partisan framework.

Moreover, women and youth are waiting for the re-opening of industries to create employment and the detailed plan as to how these firms will create 2 million jobs with a living wage as promised during campaigns. The same group of citizens demand income generating projects for women and these projects should be distributed in a non partisan system. The vulnerable and the disadvantaged in communities, such as the elderly, the orphans, disabled and widowed are still suffering and being made to complete food aid forms to no avail. WOZA members demand home ownership; city council should build homes for people and there should be transparency in the distribution of stands. Residents are tired of being lodgers and paying high rentals. Last but not least, they demand the ZimAsset programme to urgently provide affordable and nutritious home grown food and to put women first in all the ZimAsset implementation programmes WOZA made additionally recommendations on a number of premises that include devolution, activation of the constitution, working public institutions, community involvement, civic education, as well as justice and fairness.

See the full report on our website at the following link WOZA Report Zim beat the drum of peace and development to break the silence on violence

AT 1030am 29 November 2013, one thousand members started 11 separate processions so that they could march to Bulawayo Mhlahlandlela Government complex to hand over a petition to the resident minister Eunice Moyo covering WOZA demands. The petition was successfully handed over to her office but pandemonium prevailed as police disturbed a peaceful protest.

The city had riot or reaction police on most street corners to prevent the start of any protests. Two out of eleven protests arrived at the entrance of Mhlahlandlela without incident but the other eight protest groups were set upon by reaction groups’ police who beat members with baton sticks. One protest was stopped and seated in the tarmac by 16 police officers and when there was not clear instruction as to if they were under arrest, member left and continued their peaceful march.

Two members have been treated for dislocated knee and grazed elbow from baton stick injuries. Over 50 other members report baton stick injuries but were treated with painkillers.

Hundreds of members managed to re- group and made their way to Mhlahlandlela determined to petition as is their right under the constitution.

One single police truck seemed to constantly pick up arrested members who were then released and others arrested making the number of arrested hard to estimate.

WOZA national coordinator, Jenni Williams who had delivered the petition to the minister’s office, then called members to regroup at the complex entrance and told members that the petition had been delivered and signed for and she then signaled that members should peacefully disperse in procession to the nearby bus terminal. After this address, Williams and Mahlangu lead members away but new group of police officers arrived with batons sticks and shields and stopped the dispersal. Police officers surrounded Williams and Mahlangu with huge shields pressed against their bodies and forced them into the police Drill hall opposite the government complex. These officers beat any members who attempted to walk in with the 2 leaders but 3 members managed to accompany their leaders.

As the leaders were being led away, police officers started to drive the hundreds of members enraged at the arrest of their leaders away from the complex down the street in the direction of the Batch Street. After several surges to come back to the Complex failed and the group was chased by police officers with dogs. The dogs were held on the leashes but the officers kept threatening to unleash them, these officers and their police dogs drove the crowd at a run for 5 kilometers towards the Mpopoma fly over. Some members were driven into the bush on either side of the roads in the Thorngrove suburb adjoining the light industrial area. These officers also said they did not want members to board commuter omnibuses, but chased them out of town saying they would regroup and resume the march. Police officers quickly manned road blocks on the Khami road to prevent the return by commuter of the members they had chased with their dogs. The Reaction Group officer in charge based at Drill Hall Inspector Mzombi issued the orders for beating and arrests and generally disrupted the peaceful protest and curtailed the right to protest now protected under the new constitution.

Police officers who remained at Mhlahlandlela chased away any woman in the vicinity, members or non- members of the Mhlahlandlela complex was then chased away but men were allowed to continue with their business undisturbed by the gender discrimination.

Meanwhile WOZA leaders Williams and Mahlangu were held for 3 hours without any explanation at the Drill Hall until they were driven to the Bulawayo Central police station and united with 12 other members who had been arrested. They remained there for another hour before Chief Inspector Musvuti the officer commanding Bulawayo released them. He flippantly advised Williams and Mahlangu and the 12 members that there was no problem and that they were free to leave. He said he did not know why they had been arrested. He offered not explanation about the violence and brutal manner in which the right to protest had been curtailed. See the Woza Moya Newsletter distributed Woza Moya November 2013

The 16 members, seven women and nine men, arrested in Masvingo on Tuesday for playing netball and football remain in custody at Masvingo Central Police Station. They still have not been charged. There is deep concern for their well being as members taking food to them last night reported that police had beaten them, one by one, yesterday afternoon. The extent of their injuries is not clear.

Police are apparently still trying to force them to pay admission of guilt fines although they have committed no crime and have not been charged with anything.

Lawyers are now considering filing an urgent high court application for their immediate release as police are apparently refusing to take them to court today and the 48-hours that they are allowed to be held will soon be up.

The group has now spent two nights in custody. Also in custody is the soccer ball, although the netball evaded arrest.

It is still not clear why they were arrested in the first place although it is obvious that it is part of the ongoing campaign of police harassment of human rights defenders in the country.

It is bitterly cold in Masvingo at present and as the group was playing sports at the time, many are not wearing warm clothing. Police have not allowed extra clothing to be brought in to those in custody.

The group had been engaged in their game at Macheke Stadium yesterday afternoon when two members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) approached them and questioned one of the members. They then took him away. Shortly afterwards they came back and arrested the rest of the group.

Whilst over 300 members demonstrated in Mutare on Monday without incident (see story below), there have been no recent protests in Masvingo.

Please continue to ring Masvingo Central Police Station on +263 39 62221 to protest the continued detention of the group and that police stop the harassment and beatings of human rights defenders in Zimbabwe.

ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION ON PROTECTING WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
We write to you as a group of African human rights defenders from across the continent working at national, regional and international levels. We are following negotiations on the draft resolution on the protection of women human rights defenders currently being advanced in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, with great interest. This is the first time a draft resolution has been put forward focusing exclusively on the protection of women human rights defenders. It is a hugely significant and important initiative for African societies.
Women who engage in the defence of all human rights and all those who defend the rights of women and work on issues related to gender equality make a vital contribution to democratic processes, securing and maintaining peace, and ensuring security, development and respect for human rights in our communities. However, in doing this work, women human rights defenders can face a range of violations and abuses – including gender-based violence – at the hands of State and non-State actors. States need to pay attention to the risks faced by women human rights defenders, acknowledge the value of their role, and commit to ensuring their protection. This is the time for all States to show leadership by supporting a resolution that seeks to do this globally.
We are extremely concerned to hear that the African Group has developed a group position objecting to several core elements of the draft resolution. Fifteen years ago, all States agreed to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, including State obligations to protect all human rights defenders working on all human rights. This commitment has been reiterated and built upon in subsequent General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In addition, African human rights instruments include important references that relate to the protection of women defenders. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Article 18:3 speaks of States’ obligations to ensure the elimination of discrimination against women and also ensure the protection of women’s rights as stipulated in international declarations and conventions. Ten years ago, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa – the Maputo Protocol – was adopted. Acknowledged as a key text on the protection of women’s rights, the Protocol speaks of States parties commitment to increasing women’s participation ‘in structures and process for conflict, prevention, management and resolution’ and at all levels of decision-making. African States should be working to implement such commitments, and to ensuring it is reiterated and strengthened at international levels.
African UN Member States are putting forward important resolutions related to women’s rights, such as on ending female genital mutilations, addressing the situation of obstetric fistula and improving the situation of the girl child. At the Commission on the Status of Women in 2013, African States played a key role in securing agreed conclusions on ending violence against women, which also recognized the need to “support and protect those who are committed to eliminating violence against women, including women human rights defenders in this regard, who face particular risks of violence”. The GA resolution on women human rights defenders would complement and reinforce these important efforts by African Member States, as it would support and give recognition to the efforts by women human rights defenders in African countries seeking to implement these initiatives at national and local levels.
We call on every African State to live up to their human rights commitments by supporting this UN resolution, and by taking concrete steps to protect women defenders in their work. We call upon African States at the General Assembly to stand alongside all women human rights defenders in their work for the respect of human rights across the continent.

Draft res – protecting women human rights defenders