On 21st February 2012 Zimbabwe was reviewed by the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
The review process gave the Zimbabwean state an opportunity to report the current situation in relation to the rights of women as set out in the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Rumbidzai Dube from the Research and Advocacy Unit(RAU) went to Geneva to push for the Committee to consider the issue of political violence against women. As a result of the efforts of RAU and other civil society organisations, the Committee gave a lot of attention to the issue of political violence against women. The Committee expressed concerns at “the failure of the State party to address politically motivated violence against women“, and recommended that the Zimbabwean government “put in place measures to prevent and address politically motivated violence against women“.
These two sentences might seem a bit small compared to the magnitude of the problem. However, the recognition of the Zimbabwean government disregard of women’s right totake part in politics without fear is an important step in the struggle for an end to political violence. It adds yet another voice in the joint demand for an end to political violence.
Read Rumbidzai Dube’s reflections on the CEDAW session
Download the recommendations and reports from the Zimbabwean state and civil society here
