This website will now be hosting news, updates, citizen feedback, our newsletter and job offerings, the NGO directory, and more. So if you want the latest from Kubatana, make sure to visit our main website: www.kubatana.net

Meanwhile, this blog will still be here “for posterity,” but we won’t be adding to it here – Look for our regularly updated content on www.kubatana.net instead.

And if you’re a researcher looking for our archive of Zimbabwean civil society reports and human rights documents from 2001 – 2013 it’s still there! Just visit archive.kubatana.net and you’ll find all 25,000 documents for your research pleasure.

Thanks!

British Embassy Harare Deputy Head of Mission Chris Brown will be hosting a Twitter Question and Answer session on Thursday 21 November at 3pm Zimbabwe time. Follow him on @DHMChrisBrown and ask those burning questions.

For British Embassy Harare information updates including events, scholarships, and UK policy updates follow Ambassador Deborah Bronnert on Twitter @DeborahBronnert.

An ad-free issue of Vogue’s US September issue is for sale on Craigslist. Price: USD $4,447,847.53. The magazine comes without any ads. The seller removed all pages with ads and left only articles. Ads on pages that couldn’t be removed are deleted with a black permanent marker.The price of the ad-free Vogue issue is based on the anticipated amount that advertisers paid for the ad space. More

Senior Communications Programme Officer: NANGO
Deadline: 30 October 2013

Vacancy Notice: 2013/04CU
Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe
Organizational Unit: Directorate
Classification: Officer
Type of Appointment: Fixed-term, with possibility of extension
Estimated starting Date: 20 Nov 2013

General functions
Under the direct supervision of the Directorate in Harare, and in coordination with relevant units at NANGO Headquarters and Regional offices, the successful candidate will work with management for the implementation of the NANGO Communication and Engagement Strategy.

The selected candidate will be expected to work on the full-time basis during the assigned period. In particular he/she will:

-Development and implementation of a NANGO Communications Strategy based on the existing Association’s information and communications policy; providing continuous feedback on the performance of the Strategy
-Providing timely information to the Executive Director and Management Committee for management decision making
-Maintain a continuous dialogue and ensure the internal information flow between the different NANGO-units (Executive Director, programs department, regional offices etc.) in order to harmonize communication activities
-Research about NANGO’s stakeholders and their needs in order to maximize the impact of NANGO’s communication’s
-Facilitate the creation and strengthening of the NANGO Corporate identity (including the Corporate Image) through different measures. The NANGO brand has to be strengthened through the development of appropriate mechanisms (NANGO House Style and Editorial policy)
-Support of current communication platforms: The homepage, Social Network Profiles, etc – Developing ways of creating synergies for knowledge sharing between NANGO departments, Regions and also with members
-Enhancement of visibility and information sharing about all NANGO projects
-Managing content development and maintenance of the Association’s website
-Maintaining media relations through press releases, press conferences, media packages and other measures
-Facilitating the development of advocacy strategies and measures
-Building the capacity of staff and members in communications and media relations
-Organise and manage the NGO Expo as well as other exhibitions
-Publish the CSO magazine and promotional materials
-Publishing the NGO directory
-Editing the Zimbabwe Development Journal
-Developing a communication monitoring and evaluation plan
-Planning and implementation of innovative measures in order to ensure the future self-sustainability of the Unit: Examples are a printing unit at NANGO or the CSO magazine offering chances for income
-Perform any other duties as NANGO may reasonably require commensurate with the post-holder’s abilities and responsibilities

Desired qualifications

Education
The incumbent should possess a Master’s degree in Media, Communication Studies
and/or Journalism

Skills and experience
Substantial work experience of several years in the field of Public Relations; Practical journalistic experience within Media Houses, as Freelancer etc; Working practice in the development context, preferable within NGOs; Strong “story-telling”-skills: Writing of articles, press releases, reports, etc.; Social Media Skills: Facebook, Twitter, Blogging etc; Experience in the administering of Websites; Graphic Design skills with regards to the digital production of newsletters, brochures, magazines etc; Good computer skills e.g. Word for Windows, Excel, PowerPoint; Strong Networking skills according to different groups of stakeholder; High degree of cooperation ability with regards to the NANGO programmes and the regional offices; Previous experience of working with and through partners; Ability to establish good rapport with partner organizations and donors like UN or international NGOs; Ability to manage more than one project at various stages of completion; Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines, resistance against stress; Strong presentation and facilitation skills; Experience in supervising, guiding and training people, individually or in groups; Ability to work in a multicultural environment; Ability to work effectively with limited supervision; Possess experience and training for analytical and research skills; Sound knowledge of the human developmental needs in Zimbabwe; Demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of marginalized populations

Languages: Thorough knowledge of English. Knowledge of both Shona and Ndebele is an advantage

Method of application
All applications should be addressed to: machinda [at] nango [dot] org.zw and copy cephas [at] nango [dot] org [dot] zw as well as bastian.beege [at] giz [dot] de or posted to the CEO, 5 Meredith Drive, Eastlea, quoting the above vacancy notice number.

Amnesty Switzerland’s campaign drawing attention to human rights abuse: it’s not happening here but it is happening now.

More images here

A subscriber sent us this picture of a City of Harare sign they spotted at the open space opposite Coca Cola in Graniteside between Seke Rd and Dieppe Ave. Whilst I’m all for no littering, I’m not sure you can tell people where they can’t pray?

Meanwhile, “litterbugs” may face community service, The Herald tells us. Hopefully this includes preventing the wholesale dumping which is taking over Harare’s open spaces, and ensuring effective waste management and collection practises across Zimbabwe.

For his project Pretend You’re Actually Alive, Leigh Ledare traced his mother Tina from teenage ballet dancer to mature sexual exhibitionist.

More from the Guardian

After the success of the inaugural competition in 2012, the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is pleased to announce the launch of OPENPhoto 2013 on the theme of Minority Rights in Africa – with the winners being selected by a jury comprised of some of Africa’s and the world’s top documentary photographers, and with a top prize of US$5,000.

Aiming to encourage analytical and critical thinking about society in Africa and support the development of photojournalism across the continent, OPENPhoto 2013 is looking for strong, interpretive documentary work on the theme of Victories and Violations: The Struggle for Minority Rights in Africa.

“Across the continent, many people remain marginalised and socially excluded because they are minorities. People are discriminated against because they are disabled or homosexual or indigenous or sex workers. Or because they are women living with HIV. Or men from a small ethnic group. Or children from a non-state religion. Or families fleeing persecution in another country,” said Richard Lee, OSISA’s Communications Manager. “OPENPhoto 2013 is looking to reward photo essays that depict the reality of life for these marginalised minorities – the good and the bad, their struggles and their successes.”

The competition is open to any photographer based in Africa – professional or amateur. And the prizes are definitely worth winning:

First Prize – US$5,000 plus a commissioned assignment with OSISA in 2014
Second Prize – US$2,000; and
Third Prize – US$1,000

OPENPhoto 2013 will be judged by a prestigious jury of award-winning African and international photographers. Convened by the Pulitzer Prize-winning South African photographer, Greg Marinovich, the jury includes João Silva, Munem Wasif, Patrick Baz, Robin Comley, Yunghi Kim, Enrico Dagnino, Andrew Lichtenstein, David Dare Parker and Janine Haidar.

The competition deadline is November 30th with the winners being announced on December 16th.

For more information and to apply: www.open-photo.org