Background

Zimbabwe is signatory to gender equality frameworks and has ratified several

women’s rights instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1979) and the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action (1995). Moreover, the Zimbabwean Constitution (2013), notably
Section 17 spells out the equality between the sexes and women’s right to full
participation in all spheres of Zimbabwean society. In addition to Section 17, Section
80 maintains women’s right to equal opportunity in political, economic and social
activities. Despite these measures in place - and the fact that women make up 52 %
of the Zimbabwean population - women are underrepresented in leadership and
decision-making positions and remain vulnerable to all forms of gender-based violence
resulting in the country having a high prevalence of gender-based violence.

Further, many cases of electoral violence specially targeting women have also been
documented in past elections. Women face insidious types of psychological violence
during this time, including slurs regarding their marital status or sexuality, harassment
(both physical and psychological) and intimidation. This in turn has resulted in even
less women campaign and vying for electoral positions. Misogyny and deep rooted
patriarchy in the political parties in Zimbabwe has limited women participation in
politics.

Women in Zimbabwe continue to face a myriad of challenges in the political, social

and economic spheres due to historical marginalization, gender inequalities and
imbalances. Harmful cultural and religious practices have negatively impacted on
women's rights including power imbalances, patriarchal attitudes, ignorance of
constitutional provisions in regard to gender equality and high levels of misogyny in
the political economy.

Women are still viewed as tokens in the political arena where they are used as pawns
in a game of chess to settle cheap political scores and organize support for male
chauvinistic leaders who hardly give women space at the dining table, which has led
to most women hardly occupying key decision making positions in political parties in
Zimbabwe.

When women are adequately represented in public and private spheres it leads to
adequate representation of women issues in politics, policy making and development
processes. There are a lot of issues that need a woman's touch at policy level which
include how to deal with high rates of child pregnancies and marriages, vulnerability
of women to HIV, sexual reproductive rights, gender based violence, effects of climate
change on women, lack of access to natural resources and police brutality on women.
These are issues that need urgent attention and can only be raised by men with
feminist lenses and we hardly have any of those in the 9th Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Most policies in Zimbabwe have remained gender blind and unresponsive to the needs
of women. It is not a secret that lack of adherence to constitutional provisions and
prioritization of gender issues has resulted in poverty, food insecurity, economic
disenfranchisement of women and prostitution. A genuine desire to address these
issues is needed from the State, all Executive, Legislative, Judicial institutions and all
agencies of government right down to the common woman in all communities. Lack of
political will to address these challenges is the tragedy of Zimbabwean women.

Introduction

Election participation by women is a constitutional right enshrined in section 67 of the

constitution of Zimbabwe. As such any form of discrimination towards women
participation in governance should not be tolerated. Section 17 of the constitution of
Zimbabwe enshrines gender balance which should naturally cascade down into
political party constitutions. The Women’s political Charter is being initiated and
implemented, as an important marker in the life of Zimbabwe’s democracy, to
document and amplify the aspirations of Women in Zimbabwe , to advance effective
gender equality and litmus test for effective participation of women in electoral and
decision making across the political divide.

The Charter will also be positioned as the litmus test of the functionality and
effectiveness. Therefore, it is being developed in an effort to enable the
institutionalization of gender sensitive-good governance norms and practices, by
political parties, Parliament ,strategic partners and stakeholders across the three
spheres of government, chapter 12 institutions, academics, civil society organizations,
women’s formations, who have a role in advancing women’s political participation.

The Women’s Political Charter will be strategic and live document that is supported
by clearly articulated strategic objectives and urgent actions for immediate
implementation, articulating matters for urgent prioritization by political parties as we
approach the 2023 elections, actions which must remain on governments
developmental agenda to advance women’s political participation .The custodians of
the charter are women leading political party formations in Zimbabwe, selected
representatives of women’s movement and stakeholders who can utilise the Charter
as a tool for increased women’s participation and inclusion in politics and decision
making.

RATIONALE FOR THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL CHARTER

Women in Zimbabwe make up 52 per cent of the population and are 54 per cent of
the registered voters yet women’s issues remain peripheral in the national agenda.
ZEC reports that over 53 per cent of registered voters are women It is encouraging to
note that more women registered to vote using the Biometric Voter Registration in
2018. This level of participation in the electoral process is not reflected in elected
offices as well as appointed offices.

As political parties begin to prepare for elections, the women’s charter calls on political
parties to take note of the issues that affect women’s participation in politics and put
in mechanisms to address them . Political parties need to support an enabling
environment for 50/50 participation of women in the elections as candidates. Political
parties need to be clear about their quotas for women as candidates. Gender parity
provided in the constitution needs to be upheld by all political parties, and we urge
them to endorse this charter and take the issues raised herein in their own election
manifestos.

OBJECTIVES

• To promote political parties, Zimbabwe Election Commission and Stakeholders

to comply with the Constitution on gender balance in all political and election
processes.
• To raise awareness and galvanize the electorate to participate in elections and vote
for female candidates.
• To articulate a united women candidates campaign message on gender issues across
political parties.

VALUES

The values that should guide women participation in elections are:

• Gender equality and equity in politics

• Non-discriminatory electoral practices in intraparty candidate selection
• Inclusion of women and youth in governance processes
• Removal of gendered lenses in political participation

THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM

The current ‘First Past the Post’ electoral system (FPTP), does not enable women to
successfully enter political office. There is need to revise the electoral system to
proportional representation. This will release women from the pressure to perform as
proportional representation will ensure that women and men are represented 50/50.

CANDIDATE SELECTION
Primary elections need to be conducted in a free and fair manner so that women can
participate without fear. We call for the party to:
• Design a gender responsive candidate selection process in consultation with
women members and leaders of this party.
• Constitute a gender balanced candidate selection structures
• Ensuring that all candidate selection procedures information is
accessed, packaged and disseminated in a gender responsive member.
• Ensure Independent observers are accredited to observe the candidate
selection process
• Any candidate who will perpetrate gender based violence (GBV) will be
disqualified and expelled from the party
• That there be GBV reporting mechanisms and response structures

AGENTS IDENTIFICATION, TRAINING, DEPLOYMENT & SUPPORT

• Party to establish and implement a gender responsive election agents

recruitment, training and deployment process.
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES & SUPPORT
 • Funding for women candidates needs to be provided by political parties to
ensure greater participation in the electoral processes.
• Political parties which receive public funding must ensure that an equal
proportion is directed to funding women candidates.
• To ensure that funding is available for women, political parties, in their
constitutions, can dedicate 50 per cent of their electoral budget to support
women candidates.
• The Government of Zimbabwe needs to amend the Political Parties Finance
Act to tie public funding of political parties to gender parity. Provision of public
funding for women candidates will even the playing field and ensure greater
participation by women.
• Party to ensure that all party resources and election support is equally
accessed by women candidates
• Party to employ gender responsive budgeting
ELECTION COMPLAINTS HANDLING MECHANISMS/SOPS
• Establish and implement a complaints reporting and handling mechanism

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Zimbabwe’s elections have been characterised by violence and, in recent months,

Zimbabwe has also witnessed serious intra-party violence. As women, we are calling
for far-reaching measures to curb electoral violence within and between political
parties. Women’s participation as voters and as candidates is hindered where there is
violence.

• Political parties need to strengthen intra-party democracy to reduce the

incidence of intra-party violence. Their codes of conduct should demonstrate
commitment to prevention of violence against women in electoral processes.
• Peace committees need to be established and composed of women’s
organisations, churches and civic organisations. These committees should
exclude political parties, and report to the joint monitoring mechanism set up by
the Human Rights and Gender Commissions (Section 2.1.1) and the provincial
liaison officer set up by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
• Particular attention should be given to hate speech as this inculcates fear and
an atmosphere of fear. The mere absence of political violence is insufficient to
create confidence in women to participate in political activities.
• Political Parties to review and update party policies and procedures to ensure
provisions on zero tolerance of Violence against Women(VAW)

MULTIPARTY LIASON PLATFORMS

• Ensure Multi party liaison delegation is gender balanced

POST ELECTION SUPPORT

• Ensure structured gender responsive post-election review, reflection, learning and
support for women who won or lost election as well as various election workers from
the party