User:AlanSi91/sandbox

Sources:

https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/44152/27667

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12290971

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1147149.pdf

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09540121.2013.774311

http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/gender-equality

http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/7-women%E2%80%99s-empowerment-gender-equality-and-equity

https://data.worldbank.org/topic/gender?locations=ZW&view=chart

http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6997e.pdf

http://www.aho.afro.who.int/profiles_information/index.php/Zimbabwe:MDG_Goal_3:_Promote_gender_equality_and_empower_women

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/harare/about-this-office/single-view/news/in_zimbabwe_men_and_boys_are_involved_in_gender_equality/

https://redcross.eu/uploads/files/Positions/Humanitarian%20aid/SGBV%20in%20disasters/Gender%20SGBV%20Report_%20Zimbabwe%20HR.pdf

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/zimbabwe-women-domestic-violence-election-gender-equality-rights-rape-mugabe-emmerson-a8539616.html

https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/effective-law-policy-gender-equality-protection-sexual-gender-based-violence-disasters-zimbabwe/

http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2074-77052015000200004

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/harare/about-this-office/single-view/news/in_zimbabwe_men_and_boys_are_involved_in_gender_equality/

https://redcross.eu/uploads/files/Positions/Humanitarian%20aid/SGBV%20in%20disasters/Gender%20SGBV%20Report_%20Zimbabwe%20HR.pdf

FINAL DRAFT!!!

Gender Equality
Women in Zimbabwe are disadvantaged in many facets including economic, political, and social spheres as well as experience Sex and Gender Based Violence. A 2014 UN report found that deep rooted cultural issues, patriarchal attitudes, and religious practices negatively impacted women's rights and freedoms in the country. These negative views toward women as well as societal norms impact the incentive for women to participate in the economy and hinder their economic production. Zimbabwe's constitution passed in 2013 has provisions in it that provide incentive to achieve greater gender equality but the data shows that enforcement has been lax and adoption slow. In December, 2016 the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies conducted a case study to determine how to best implement effective policy to address issues such as gender violence and implementation of equality laws. It was found that Sex and Gender Based Violence against women and girls was increasing in areas that had experienced disasters (floods, drought, disease) but could not quantify the extent of the increase. Some of the obstacles in combating these issues are that there are economic barriers to declaring SGBV to be unacceptable as well as social barriers. Additionally, governmental services which were installed to help educate the populace about these issues as well as provide services to victims are underfunded and unable to carry out their duties. The UN also provided economic incentive to adopt policies which would discourage these practices which negatively impacted women in Zimbabwe.

Discrimination in the Work Force
Zimbabwean women face cultural and social adversity in their professional lives which stunts their educational attainment, professional development, and advancement. In 2009 the South African Journal of Education found that although the majority of primary school teachers in their random sample size were qualified for advancement to administrative positions, none of them had applied for administrative openings. The women did not see themselves as equals with their male counterparts and believed their role as a wife and mother superseded all other parts of their lives. The women surveyed in this trial were also found to have low self-esteem, a possible correlation to their societal roles and gender stereotypes. In 2016 the FAO found that only 60% of women participated in the economy in some form compared to 74.3% for their male counterparts. Women also made up the majority of low education jobs such as 70% of the agriculture work force while only 16.7% and 21% of local authority and managers in the private sector respectively. In the public sector, women comprised 14% of the Zimbabwean House of Assembly and 33% of the Senate, despite the population ratio being 0.95 Males per 1 Female. To address the gender inequality in the economy the UN supports policies which help increase the amount of women in leadership roles such as head of schools with increased funding which is #3 of the outlined Millennium Development Goals. Through these policies Zimbabwe has made gains in closing the gender gap in school enrollment, 50.5% of males are enrolled in secondary schools compared to 49.5% in females.

Domestic Violence
Zimbabwe experiences high rates of domestic and sexual violence, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Office shows that rates are increasing. 21 rapes are reported per day in Zimbabwe, that's a rate of 0.12 rapes a day per 100,000 people, as not all rapes are reported this number is likely higher than reported and increased 42% between 2010 and 2016. Of all the violence against girls and women reported in Zimbabwe, 78% was inflicted by their spouse, father, or domestic partner. UNICEF reports show that one in three girls that grow up in Zimbabwe experience sexual assault before turning 18, this is further exacerbated by cultural norms such as child marriage. Young girls often run away with older men when their educational opportunities are limited or to escape a violent household. These incidents of domestic violence or young girls running away with older men are usually not investigated by police as men are viewed as superior to women in Zimbabwean culture and their role as the dominant person in the relationship is to discipline their spouse, often violently. There is an ingrained cultural norm that violence can be a show of power and love which makes ending domestic abuse in Zimbabwe difficult. The Zimbabwe Women's Lawyers Association, is an organization which helped implement the legal framework meant to help women in the 2013 constitution, provides programs which help educate women on their rights and provides them with opportunities as a way of combating domestic and sexual violence.

Political Representation
Women in Zimbabwe do not have proportional representation in the Zimbabwean lower and upper houses of Parliament, holding 14% and 33% of seats respectively while being a slight majority of the population. There are cultural and violence barriers women have to overcome to run for public office, they are seen as "loose and immoral", called prostitutes, claimed to want to be men, and their private lives are heavily scrutinized. Women seeking to participate in the political landscape as candidates or voters cite violence as one of the main reasons they are dissuaded from participating. Lack of financial resources and confidence in their abilities stops many young women from attempting to run as well as preconceived notions about women in politics creates an environment that limits their involvement and desire to be involved in politics. Women also make up a disproportionate amount of the rural poor in Zimbabwe, making up 70% of the agricultural work force, the rural poor find it difficult to access information and materials in relation to politics as well as travel to polling stations and become registered to vote. Collectively, women control 35% of parliamentary seats due to a provision of the 2013 constitution that mandated at least 30% of seats be occupied by women. A 10 year extension is being considered to this mandate as it is only law until 2022 and equal representation according to population distribution has not yet been achieved. A study by the Research and Advocacy Unit found that political parties in the country appoint women to "window dress" not for their advancement.

Society and Culture
Women in Zimbabwean society and culture are often seen as inferior, treated as objects, and viewed in subordinate roles in history and philosophy. Ubuntu, an African philosophy's spiritual aspect instills the belief that boys should be more valued than girls as boys pass on lineage and the belief system places high value in respecting ones ancestors. A common expression used in court, "vakadzi ngavanyarare", translates to "women should keep quiet" and as a result women are not consulted in decision making, the must implement the men's wishes. The subordination of women in Zimbabwe and cultural forces which dictate what they must be have led to deaths and sacrificing professional advancement to fulfill their roles as wives, mothers, and subordinates. Women are taught that they must never refuse their husbands sexual advances, even if they know they are infected with HIV from being unfaithful. As a result of this practice Zimbabwean women aged 15 - 49 have an HIV prevalence rate of 16.1%, making up 62% of the total population infected with HIV in that age group.