March 2019
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
International Women’s day- On 8 March the world commemorated International
Women’s Day under the theme #Balanceforbetter, where the world must seek for
gender balance and wellbeing of women. Cyclone Idai which happened in the same
month as the commemoration has impacted heavily on women. One woman in
Chimanimani delivered her baby on a tree branch during the cylone with her
husband playing the role of midwife. Women and girls also face challenges of sanitary
wear during such tragedies. The burden to care for the injured also lies on women
and for those with babies they have to find alternatives to diapers. This is just but a
drop in the ocean of how women are affected by such catastrophes.
Steps towards the national dialogue- The National Transitional Justice Working
Group convened spaces to build momentum into the national dialogue discourse. On
26 March they convened a meeting titled “National Dialogue: The African
Transitional Justice Experience- Lessons for Zimbabwe” where delegates discussed
the readiness of Zimbabwe for the national dialogue. One of the speakers emphasised
that if a national dialogue process is to succeed there must be a conducive
environment that is characterised by respect and protection of freedoms and the
absence of fear.
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