ADVOCACY

EMTHONJENI WOMEN’S FORUM (EWF) is carrying out advocacy work at various levels as a realisation of the need to lobby and advocate for change in attitudes through transforming gender norms and heightening women’s human rights. Our advocacy work is aimed at mobilising against gender based violence in the private and public sphere as well as the need to include women in decision making processes and holding duty bearers to account through social accountability forums Gender-Based Violence is rampant and perverse and requires concerted effort towards transforming gender norms that perpetuate it through unequal power balance.

EMTHONJENI WOMEN’S FORUM (EWF) advocacy work premised on the following:

• Engagement of state actors which include those with legislative authority towards addressing
  GBV as well as gender equality gaps.
• Advocacy within workspaces and tertiary institutions towards policy change in line with international instruments that safeguard women’s rights and dignity.
• Advocacy at local level, where women are capacitates with advocacy skills as well as their
  rights towards demanding more accountable and responsive governance from local duty
  bearers as well as duty bearer responsiveness in the referral pathway towards effectively and
  comprehensively addressing GBV cases.

SO FAR THE ADVOCACY HAS YIELDED THE FOLLOWING:

More responsive duty bearers that are sensitive to citizen’s needs, this has been evidenced by;

• The rehabilitation of more than 10 boreholes in Tsholotsho district by the District Development Fund (DDF) in wards 10, 11 and 13 in Tsholotsho.
• The installation of a piped water scheme in Stanhope , Umguza
• Legislators committing to take action towards legislative reform that comprehensively address GBV.
• Construction of a clinic in ward 14 of Tsholotsho district in response to women’s advocacy
  actions towards access to health service.
• Women actively participating in governance process through holding state actors to account as well as playing a frontline role in local development.
• Increased role of women in local development structures such as VIDCOs and WADCOs

EWF Advocacy work is also undertaken at national level with EWF engaging the relevant Ministry and Parliamentary Portfolio on Labour and Social Welfare to ratify International Labour Organization Convention 190 as well as amend the Zimbabwe Labour Relations Act (Chapter 28:1) such that it explicitly addresses sexual harassment in the workplace.