WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY: ZIMBABWE

"Today women in Zimbabwe find themselves at the confluence of the political, economic and HIV/AIDS crisis. It is imperative that any future dialogue between the government and the MDC includes women as key players […] To illustrate just how affected women are by the crisis, all one has to do is consider that a packet of 8 sanitary pads now costs, on average, Zim $5000 (about US $6). Most domestic workers only earn Zim $5000. The price of a packet of 3 male condoms -more commonly used by women to prevent pregnancy and HIV infection- costs Zim $2000 (about US $2). Women are having to compromise their own health , just so that they can feed their families. Women's organization that have outreach activities in communities are finding it difficult to reach the women, thereby denying women space to participate in their own development programmes. It is imperative that a comprehensive constitutional review takes place, and in that process women want to represent themselves. We want to see a constitution that guarantees our right as Zimbabweans."

Everjoice Win, Spokeswoman for Crisis in Zimbabwe, a consortium of NGOs, August 2003