4
In February 2007 women from townships reported being concerned about the government’s policy of
arresting street vendors. Amnesty International has documented patterns of human rights violations,
including police harassment and ill-treatment of informal traders.(24) Amnesty International believes that the
arbitrary arrest and harassment of informal traders is taking away their only source of livelihood, and
constitutes a violation of the right to work.(25)
In Zimbabwe women are often not only responsible for their immediate family, they also support members of
the extended family by buying food and paying for education. Female-headed households are extremely
vulnerable to food insecurity. For example, in 2003 about 70% of female-headed households required food
aid (compared with 58% of male-headed households).(26) In June 2007 it was reported that an estimated
4.1 million people in Zimbabwe would experience food shortages.(27)
In 2004, Amnesty International expressed concern about the politicisation of food relief programmes in rural
areas, particularly of maize distribution by the GMB.(28) The government of Zimbabwe closely controls the
management and distribution of the country’s strategic grain reserves through the state-run GMB.(29)
Amnesty International also documented a range of human rights violations in the response to the food crisis.
These included discrimination on the basis of perceived political opinion, denial of access to justice, lack of
independence of the judiciary, failure to protect the rights of the most vulnerable people (including farm
workers) and unreasonable restrictions in the distribution of necessary food aid. Finally, Amnesty
International documented the political manipulation of food aid, noting that food aid was often withheld from
those who did not hold a ZANU-PF loyalty card, and was used in attempts to influence election results. In
2007 Amnesty International found that the manipulation of food distribution persists, particularly of GMB
maize sold in rural areas.
Impelled to act to defend their rights
If we follow what the ruling party wants the whole country will die.
Rural activist from Matabeleland South province, February 2007
This [activism] is not about students [alone]. It is also about our mothers who cannot afford to feed their
families. Our silence results in more violations.
Student activist from Harare, February 2007
It is not a new phenomenon for Zimbabwean women to take up human rights activism. Since the country
gained independence in 1980, women in Zimbabwe have been active in lobbying the government to adopt
laws and policies that promote and protect their rights. Of particular significance has been the women’s
movement’s success in lobbying for the Legal Age of Majority Act, which was passed in 1982. This gives
legal recognition to women as majors when they reach the age of 18. Most recently, women’s organizations
such as the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA), the Women’s Coalition and Women Action
Group (WAG), among others, have lobbied for the enactment of laws against domestic violence. In
November 2006 the Domestic Violence Act was passed by the lower house of parliament. Women have also
lobbied against discriminatory inheritance laws, for reform of marriage laws and on other issues affecting
women.
Like women human rights defenders elsewhere in the world,(30) those in Zimbabwe often endure grave
violations themselves as they are subjected to all forms of attacks and ill-treatment by governments in an
attempt to undermine their causes.(31)
While this report focuses on the situation of human rights defenders as they seek to exercise their right to
peaceful assembly and freedom of association, Amnesty International acknowledges that the women human
rights defenders are themselves victims of persistent violations of economic and social rights. All women
human rights defenders interviewed by Amnesty International from across Zimbabwe repeatedly noted the
difficulties they faced in feeding their families, meeting school fees and paying for medical care for
themselves and other family members. Zimbabwe is a state party to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) which recognizes the rights to food, education and health. It
is often the denial of these rights which motivates women in Zimbabwe to become human rights defenders
and to confront their government in demanding the respect and protection of these rights.
Other women become involved in activism due to personal or family tragedies which they attribute to illconsidered government policies. Amnesty International spoke with many women who have become human
rights defenders following repeated violations of their human rights by the government of Zimbabwe.