Women of Zimbabwe Arise

(WOZA): A profile

This profile looks at who WOZA is, what they stand for, their methods of struggle and examples of their struggles against the Mugabe regime

WOZA, the acronym of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, is an Ndebele word meaning ‘Come forward’. Now with a countrywide membership of over 35,000 women and men, WOZA was formed in 2003 as a women’s civic movement to:

• Provide women, from all walks of life, with a united voice to speak out on issues affecting their day-to-day lives.

• Empower female leadership that will lead com­ munity involvement in pressing for solutions to the current crisis.

• Encourage women to stand up for their rights and freedoms.

• Lobby and advocate on those issues affecting women and their families.

The WOZA solution – TOUGH LOVE

Based on the principles of strategic non-violence, through our actions, WOZA creates space to allow Zimbabweans to articulate issues they may be too fearful to raise alone. WOZA has conducted over 50 protests in its three-year existence and over 2,500 women have spent time in police custody, many more than once and most for 48 hours or more. These women, front-line human rights defenders, are willing to suffer beatings and unbearable conditions in prison cells to exercise their constitutional rights and fundamental freedoms.

WOZA was formed to be a litmus test proving that the power of love can conquer the love of power. ‘Tough Love’ is our secret weapon of mass mobilisation. ‘Tough Love’ is the disciplining love of a parent; women practice it to press for and to bring dignity back to Zimbabweans. Tough Love is a ‘people power ’ tool that any community can use to press for better governance and social justice, especially for Zimbabweans. Political leaders in Zimbabwe need some discipline; who better to dish it out than mothers!

Enter the men…

In August 2006, at the WOZA National Assembly, it was resolved to form Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) and this wing has been growing steadily. Men, mostly youthful, are ‘coming forward’ to join the non-violent struggle for a better Zimbabwe.

WOZA and Social Justice

During 2006, WOZA carried out consultations on social justice across the country. In 284 meetings, almost 10,000 rural and urban people told us what they want in a new Zimbabwe. We wrote down what they said and the result is the People’s Charter (see document section).

WOZA Protests and Actions

Since February 2003, women belonging to WOZA! have repeatedly been arrested by the Zimbabwe police while taking part in peaceful demonstrations. They have been subjected to intimidation, harassment, and ill-treatment by police officers.

Many of those arrested have later been released without charge, but some have been charged under the repressive Public Order and Security Act (POSA). Others have been charged under the Miscellaneous Offences Act (MOA).

The following are some of the high profile actions embarked upon by the WOZA membership:

• On 7 March 2004 Bulawayo police arbitrarily ar­ rested three women, all WOZA leaders, as they left a meeting. The women were kept in custody until 9 March, apparently in an attempt to pre­ vent them organising a WOZA demonstration to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March. Charges were never laid.

• On 16 June 2004, 43 women, seven of whom had small babies, were arrested while attending a meeting in Bulawayo. Thirty-nine of the women were released without charge on the same day. The four remaining women were charged under Section 24 of POSA, detained overnight and went to court the next day. The case was dropped when the prosecutor refused to press charges insisting that no offence had been committed.

• On Sunday 19 September 2004, more than 30 WOZA activists began a 440 km sponsored walk from Bulawayo to Harare to raise funds for women’s rights activists, and in protest against repressive legislation. On 28 September, 48 wom­ en, together with 4 men who were assisting the WOZA walkers, were arrested some 60 km from Harare. The detainees were reportedly harassed, intimidated and threatened by police officers. The group was held in custody for three days until 1 October when a magistrate ruled that they had no case to answer. All were released.

• On 29 September 2004, WOZA activists who had not been arrested the previous day finished the walk, gathered at Africa Unity Square in Harare and held a brief prayer service for those in de­ tention. As they began to disperse, nine women were arrested by police for “praying in public”. The activists were detained at Harare Central Police Station where three of the women were al­ legedly assaulted by a plain-clothes officer dur­ ing interrogation. Lawyers acting for the women were denied access to them, and were reportedly forced out of the police station. All of the women were released on bail on 1 October. When they appeared in court on 13 October no charge sheets were presented and all were released.

• On 12 February 2005 some 50 women were ar­ rested after a WOZA demonstration in Bulawayo to mark Valentine’s Day. The women had marched with banners proclaiming “The Power of Love can conquer the Love of Power” and handed out roses to the public. Several of the women arrested were reported to be bystanders not involved in the WOZA action. Some of the women were released over the following two days – in many cases after family members paid ‘admission of guilt’ fines. However, at least two women remained in custody until 15 February. None of the women was taken to court to face any charges.

• On the evening of 31 March 2005, the day of Zimbabwe’s parliamentary elections, police arrested approximately 260 women, some car­ rying babies, when WOZA attempted to hold a peaceful post-election prayer vigil at Africa Unity Square in Harare. During and after the ar­ rests, several of the WOZA activists were badly beaten. Some were forced to lie on the ground and were beaten on the buttocks by police offic­ ers. Several of the women were seriously injured and subsequently hospitalized. None were given access to adequate medical treatment during their detention. The women and children were detained overnight in an open-air courtyard, under armed guard. The detainees were initially denied access to lawyers.

WOZA members are increasingly the subject of harassment by police officers who visit them at their homes. Amnesty International is concerned that this continued intimidation of WOZA activists is in response to their heightened international profile and represents an attempt by the Zimbabwe police to prevent them from engaging in further peaceful protests and criticism of the government.