Not independent until women are free and safe: VP Mohadi must apologise to the nation

Zimbabwe marks 39years of independence from colonisation today. The independence was won by a war of liberation in which women and men, young and old took up arms and fought against the oppressive British colonisers. Reflecting on the narratives of the women who went to war as written by Lyons in Guns and Guerrilla Girls, Zimbabwean women were motivated to fight against colonisation because they believed that national independence will bring with it the emancipation of women in totality. Even the male nationalist fighters promised that the end of colonisation would be the end for patriarchal oppression and the coming of dawn for gender equality. But sadly, 39years on, women in Zimbabwe continue to live in fear as gender-based violence continue to rear its ugly head. Gender based violence is more widespread among women at the lowest strata of the social hierarchy, but it still remains a reality among women of all classes. No woman is safe from gender-based violence. This is why the total eradication of gender based violence must be a priority to the nation. And as we mark 39years of independence, it is important to reflect how far the nation is scoring in guaranteeing the independence, freedom and safety of women and girls.  This was part of the agenda during the liberation struggle, and so should it remain part of the national agenda in the post-independent Zimbabwe. It is every Zimbabwean’s responsibility to play their part, no one should be above the law, there are no sacred cows when it comes to the freedom and protection of women and girls. And today, the nation should speak loudly and in one voice, in holding leaders who violate oath of their office accountable.  Let’s remind Vice President (VP) Kembo Mohadi to give us our overdue national apology on his deplorable violent actions against his ex-wife Tambudzai Mohadi on 31 March.  

On 31 March 2019, VP Mohadi is alleged to have poked his ex-wife with an iron bar, threatened to shoot her and attacked her house with an axe. All this happened in the full view of 25police officers who watched helplessly. The actions by the Vice President, and the police’s reaction during the altercation tells many stories in one, albeit all concluding that 39years after independence, women are not safe in Zimbabwe. For this day, the one story to think about is the reality that the violent actions by VP Mohadu to Senator TambudzaI Mohadi are a tip of an iceberg to a wider problem of how violence is normalised within the realms of power and law enforcement. On this fateful day, statements by the Zimbabwe Mail indicate that VP Mohadi claimed to be higher than the law itself. For the police, after witnessing the incident, and counting the number of weapons the VP wielded and was determined to use, still no report of investigations have been made.  

The abuse of the law and use of law enforcement agents in committing acts of violence against an unarmed woman by those who are supposed to be protecting victims and survivors is deplorable. Such acts erase gains made in the post independent Zimbabwe of criminalising violence against women. Surely decades of effort by women’s rights groups cannot be put into jeopardy by unrestraint acts by the VP. That send very wrong signals to would be offenders of gender based violence. VP Kembo Mohadi must apologise to the women and citizens of Zimbabwe for his acts that undermine the oath of his office and the laws of the country.    

Zimbabwe has over the years made significant progress in passing laws and ratifying regional and international instruments aimed at criminalising and mitigating different sorts of discriminatory and degrading practices to women. In 2007, the country passed into law, the Domestic Violence Act. It has also ratified the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women, and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Executive arm of government is one of the institutions that have a responsibility to play an oversight role on the implementation of national law and policy. The acts of the Vice President are contrary to expectations of his office hence the need for him to set the record straight by publicly apologising to the nation.

Gender based violence remains a major area of concern for the country. Reported incidences of gender based violence continue to soar. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that in Zimbabwe one in every 3 women have experienced physical violence and that in many instances for once married women the violence is perpetrated by their spouse or former ‘husbands’. The increases are recorded despite the increased awareness and calls to end violence against women and promote women’s rights to security of persons among other freedoms.  The UN Resident Coordinator for Zimbabwe in 2017 raised concerns that while it remains contested that  increases in cases of gender based violence could be attributed to increased awareness and therefore reporting violations, those rates are still alarming as even one single case is unjustifiable.

Gender based violence or specifically violence against women is attributable to patriarchal attitudes that undermine the personhood of women. The occurrence of the violence at the highest level of authority, and without condemnation from the state organs is problematic. Women fought the war to guarantee the nation freedom and safety. Unless that is attained, the goals of the liberation struggle are betrayed.   

Glanis Changachirere

The power of global movement building: My key reflections within the World Movement for Democracy

The power of global movement building: My key reflections within the World Movement for Democracy 

Introduction

There is an old adage that suggests ‘young people are leaders of the future and not the present’. I have always contested that and continue to argue that young people are leaders of both the present and the future. The notion that young people should retain ‘only’ the right to future leadership is ill-conceived and turns a blind eye to the vast knowledge, skills and energy young people possess in the present.  We owe a lot to such concepts as democracy that have pushed the rights of youth and women on the global agenda. As a young woman, I have had an opportunity to lead in the present, and believe that if the world harnesses the vast and untapped knowledge, skills and energy of the young women and men out there, then democracy stands a chance in the face of its all too apparent decline and the current authoritarian resurgence. Being a  Steering Committee Member of the World Movement for Democracy allowed me to witness the richness that comes with spaces and movements that embrace new ideas and new energies from young people, and the importance of sharing that within and across countries in the advancement of democracy around the world. 

This reflection, is a tribute to the World Movement for Democracy on its 20^th anniversary of Promoting Democracy around the World. I believe that by sharing my experience, young women and men around the world will be inspired and act to join movements that are promoting democracy in the world today.

Getting started

My leadership journey begins with Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD), a feminist organisation I work with, to promote the democratic participation of young women. The journey certainly started earlier than that. However for the purposes of this reflection, I will focus on getting started with IYWD and World Movement for Democracy.

My journey with the World Movement for Democracy started in 2012 when I participated in the Cape to Cairo Youth Conference convened by the World Youth Movement for Democracy (WYMD) in South Africa. I met with young activists from other parts of Africa, at a time when young people were at the front of attempts to foster democratic transitions in Tunisia and Egypt. I met with young activists from as far afield as South America and Asia. All in all, we were a movement of committed and inspiring young, female and male activists who up to this day are still putting their lives on the line in a world that is now in an all too apparent democratic slide-back. Despite the geographical distances between our countries, we connected immediately. Our desires and visions to see a democratic world aligned. As an activist who has been in the struggle for some time, I had met yet another sign post in the struggle for democracy.

After the conference, the Institute for Young Women Development collaborated with Un Mundo Sin Mordaza from Venezuela on a campaign for a ‘World without censorship for young women’s participation’. As young women, we were stripping down the emblems of patriarchy, and challenging autocratic leaders who were silencing our voices through media repression.

Expanding our network

Over the years, as the relationship of IYWD and the WMD continued to grow, our network of young female democrats whose vision is to see democracy at home and around the world also grew. Our network grew both in Zimbabwe and beyond. We worked with partners in many parts of the world including  Crossroads International in Nepal,  Naymote  in Liberia and Youngsters Foundation in  Nigeria.  

International Honour

In 2013, the grassroots efforts of IYWD to promote democratic participation of young women and our enriching collaborations received an international accolade. We were honoured by the National Endowment for Democracy, a democracy supporting organisation based in Washington DC, United States of America. I received this award on behalf of our movement,   30 Under 30 Democracy Award  together with three other young women activists from Russia, Pakistan, and Cuba.

Telling the IYWD Story:  Girl Child 

Much of the human rights work and mobilisation for democratic participation that IYWD does happens in rural, farming and mining communities of Zimbabwe. To many who do not know us, our work remains invisible. But it is work that we believe is shaking power at all levels in Zimbabwe. Making it a story worth telling, with the hope that it inspires many especially girls, young women and men to think differently about democracy. With support of the WMD, we documented the story of IYWD into a short film titled Girl Child.   The film has to date been translated into three different languages including Arabic and Spanish and been shown by our partners in different parts of the world. The film, has also become IYWD’s prayer, to draw inspiration from, when repression from our government dampen our spirits.

Serving in the  Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy 

In 2015 I joined the World Movement for Democracy’s Steering Committee. I will continue to serve in the board until 2020, and I am excited to be celebrating the movement’s 20^th anniversary in that position. Just like many of us are seeing today, democracy and democracy promoters remain under threat across the world. But seeing young people, women, democracy activists, practitioners and intellectuals all coming together from all over the world in support and solidarity with each other, I have no doubt that democracy  will eventually win.  It is my belief that when young people and women win, democracy wins, and when democracy wins, young people and women will also win.

Happy 20^th Anniversary World Movement for Democracy!!!