Essay competition: Why the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa is important to youth
Deadline: 12 Noon GMT on 25 May 2011

In October 2010, the African Women’s Decade (2010-2020) was officially launched in Nairobi, Kenya. The decade is a critical moment for the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality on the continent. The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights coalition (SOAWR), a coalition of 37 organizations based throughout the continent, is committed to ensuring that African Union (AU) member states ratify and implement the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa as an instrument that will play an important role in the realization of the Decade’s objectives. Yet, unfortunately, not all Africans are aware of the Protocol and its significance.

In Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, this June, African heads of state and government will gather at a summit with the theme, “Youth empowerment for sustainable development”. Youth action is critical to the continent’s development, and more specifically, in ensuring that girls and women can make equally valued contributions to this development. As such, the SOAWR coalition would like to invite youth to reflect on the importance of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. Contestants are asked to respond to the question, “Why is the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa important to you?” in an essay of a maximum of 2000 words.

The four best essays will receive a copy of African Women Writing Resistance: An Anthology of Contemporary Voices edited by Jennifer Browdy de Hernandez, Pauline Dongala, Omotayo Jolaosho, and Anne Serafin. The winning essays will also be published on the Pambazuka News website (www.pambazuka.org). In addition, the writer of the essay awarded first place will be given the opportunity to attend the AU Summit in Malabo with her or his basic expenses (ticket, accommodation, etc.) covered.

The competition is open to citizens of all African countries aged between 18 and 25.

Entries can be submitted in English or French. The deadline for submission is May 25th, 2011, at 12 noon, GMT. Essays should be typed (1.5 line spacing and 12 point font) and sent in Word or PDF format to the SOAWR Secretariat through bkombo [at] equalitynow [dot] org with the subject “SOAWR Essay Competition”. Along with the essays, contestants should indicate the email address where they can be reached and provide their age, nationality and country of residence.

Source: Pambazuka

Solidarity Peace Trust’s film, Part of the Solution, is a retrospective look at the political events in Zimbabwe in 2001 culminating in the SADC Troika memorandum of April 2011. The short film takes a look at the issue of the manipulation of the COPAC Constitutional Outreach programme and intimidation of villagers in the rural areas. It goes further to suggest that the outcome of the process may not have the people at its heart. The DVD moves on to examine incidents of politically motivated violence, particularly those in Mbare and Downtown Harare involving the youth. In view of the objectives of the Inclusive Government and the Global Political Agreement, these events are disheartening, leaving many Zimbabweans wondering if it is possible that the impending elections will be marred by violence and voter intimidation.

If you would like a copy of this DVD please email your postal address to: products [at] kubatana [dot] net

The Women’s Programme of the Research and Advocacy Unit recently produced a report on politically motivated Rape in Zimbabwe. In the report Zimbabwe is described as undergoing a ‘complex emergency’ that is a social catastrophe marked by the destruction of the affected populations political, economic, socio-cultural and healthcare infrastructure. It notes with concern the increasing use of rape in war and complex emergencies. Despite several United Nations resolutions being passed since 2000, only a small number of perpetrators of sexual violence against women have been convicted and jailed by international criminal tribunals for committing or commanding widespread sexual violence as a war crime.

The report notes that:

The phenomenon of violations against women is not a new thing in Zimbabwean politics; it has been reported in the majority of human rights reports produced both locally and internationally since 2000 when the political landscape changed with the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) posing a serious threat to the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF)s power-base in the June 2000 parliamentary elections. Before 2000 there were reports of rape particularly during the Liberation War and the Matabeleland massacres of the 1980s.

This report draws on several other reports by organisations such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, The Zimbabwe Peace Project, and Amani Trust, and points out the difficulty of inferring the national prevalence of politically motivated rape.

RAU conducted its most recent research study in 2010 in collaboration with Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights, using 27 sworn legal affidavits and medical examinations of women who were raped because of their political activity or the political activity of their husbands. Rapes were reported as occurring in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2008. While the highest prevalence of 89% was in 2008, the report states that there is no suggestion that rape was actually more common in 2008 than in any other year. The report states that the sexual assaults reported were extremely distressing, with horrific accounts of gang rape.

The RAU/ ZDHR study included the following recommendations:

A multi-sectoral investigation into politically motivated rape, led by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, together with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, should be undertaken on a large scale countrywide;

In light of the fact that elections are likely to be held in 2011, the government of Zimbabwe should ensure that women are protected from politically motivated rape, before, during, and after the election period.

It’s always a moment of pride when I find a Zimbabwean author mentioned in the international media. What is largely published about Zimbabwe does a disservice to our country and us. Ours is not a single story. It is always a particularly proud moment when I find that the author is also a woman.  The shortlist for the Twelfth Caine Prize for African Writing was announced recently and Zimbabwean author Noviolet Bulawayo has been shortlisted for her story Hitting Budapest.

Of course the most internationally recognizable Zimbabwean women writers are Tsitsi Dangarembga, Yvonne Vera and more recently Petina Gappah. In an interview with Mazwi literary journal Noviolet discusses why there are only a handful of Zimbabwean women writers:

Of course there are a host of reasons, but I think it also speaks to the trying circumstances of African women, not just Zimbabwean women by the way, as the group that comes last in everything and writing is no exception. Of cause this is compounded by the politics of the publishing industry. Still, I believe Zimbabwean women have compelling stories and those who are writing are doing a good job representing, and I’d like to especially thank those who are writing from Zimbabwe, the little known and unknown ones. To me those are the bad-ass writers, imagine knowing you will never be read beyond your borders, never be an international star but still writing all the same! That’s writing as speaking, as insisting on one’s presence and I think that’s deep.

Big Brother Africa Amplified kicked off recently with 26 contestants from various African countries aiming for the  $200 000 prize money. Vimbai Mutinhiri the daughter of Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Services, and Wendall Parson are representing Zimbabwe in this year’s competition.

In a move to outdo last year’s performance by Munyaradzi Chidzonga on Big Brother, Vimbai pulled a surprise from her bag of tricks by stripping naked. Big Brother tasked the contestants to “help each other out of their clothes using only their gnashers” and Vimbai was paired with Nigerian contestant Vina. Since it was a timed operation, Vina didn’t waste any time with her teeth and our lovely Vimbai had her assets exposed on TV.

With so much to show on the first week many people are wondering how far this year’s contestants will take their acts in order to bag the cool  $200 000.

Newsday today reports that:

A ten-year-old Harare schoolgirl made good use of technology – video recording a rapist related to her as he attempted to rape her.

The girls uncle first raped her two years ago, then made another attempt three months later. But this time the girl recorded him as he uttered sexually explicit words.

The article goes on:

Regional magistrate Simon Rogers Kachambwa said the girl had struck the court as a credible witness who volunteered to spill the beans and told her mother what ordeal she went through.

“She did not tell her mother when you (Chikwanda) fondled her, even later on another day when you had sexual intercourse with her,” Kachambwa said.

“She felt it was too much when you asked her to do it again and she decided to record you on her phone as you spoke. “It was very fortunate that she did not like what you had earlier done to her and you did not know that you were dealing with an exceptionally intelligent niece.”

The last remarks by the magistrate are worrying. If she had liked it then what? Would he have walked free to do it again? Or would her family then have married her to her uncle?

My understanding is that sexual intercourse with a minor, whether they like it or not is a crime that is subject to imprisonment. The jail term of nine years the perpetrator received from the magistrate is disappointing.

Regardless, I say good for her.