“ZWLA were there to help me take back control of my life”

Women and children at ZWLA’s law centre

25 years ago only seven countries out of 173 studied had laws against domestic violence.Today 127 do. But most governments have failed to implement them.

In Zimbabwe, despite the passing of domestic violence laws in 2007, almost half of women have experienced physical or sexual violence. So in order to change the every day experiences of every woman, Womankind is working with the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) to ensure laws are brought to life and implemented across society.

ZWLA provides free legal advice and support to marginalised women and children and also campaigns for laws and policies that protect their rights. Through their work at the grassroots they are reaching vulnerable women who have nowhere else to turn. Last year alone, they helped 16,486 women and children to fight their cases through the courts. Women like Ruth.

Ruth tried for years to hide her husband’s violence from their four children. She’d been brought up to believe that it was her duty to submit to her husband. But then one day he tried to kill her.

“I was afraid to tell anyone about the violence at first but eventually I sought advice from the priest and my family. They told me I had to accept it because that’s how men are expected to behave. But when the beatings became unbearable I decided to see a lawyer.”

Ruth had no money to pay for any legal support so the lawyer referred her to ZWLA.

“When I came to ZWLA I was distraught but Revai, the lawyer who assisted me, just sat and listened to my story. She guided me through seeking a divorce order and helped me get a fair share of our family home so that I could build a new life for my children. But more than that, she gave me courage.

Even though I had no money for legal fees ZWLA were there to represent me and help me take back control of my life.”

Ruth is just one woman whose life has been transformed with Womankind’s help. Through working with a whole host of women’s rights organisations across the globe, we can transform many more.

From working with local women’s rights groups in Kenya to ensure women know that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) violates their rights, to supporting survivors of violence to seek justice at the Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania, we are committed to ensuring laws are understood and enforced at a local level. Only by achieving this can we bring about long term change for ordinary women.

To reach more women like Ruth, your support is so crucial. At a time when women’s rights are increasingly under threat, with many countries doing little to prevent or respond to violence against women, your support is more important than ever. Please donate today.

Together we can give women a chance to build a future free from violence.