ZIMBABWE

In extremely difficult circumstances, women in Zimbabwe are struggling to improve their lives. They face huge obstacles: widespread poverty, political instability, the spread of HIV and AIDS, violence against women and women?s limited civil and political participation.

Since 1997, WOMANKIND has supported women?s organisations in Zimbabwe in their work around three main areas:

Violence against women
Women?s access to justice
Increasing women?s participation in decision-making

Making a difference

WOMANKIND and our partners are working together to challenge the deeply rooted inequality and discriminatory attitudes faced by women in Zimbabwe.

Great achievements include:

The organisation of the ?Vote for a Woman? campaign to increase women?s representation in local and national decision-making in Zimbabwe.�� The number of female MPs rose from 16 to 25 (out of a total of 150) in the March 2005 election.
The provision of free or low-cost legal services to over 2,700 women in 2007.�� In 2004, 992 women were also provided with training which enabled them to represent themselves in court.�� Over 730 of these women went on to successfully file and win their cases
The development, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, of primary and secondary school and university teaching materials on domestic violence

There is still much to be done, and we continue to work hard to achieve more change for Zimbabwean women.