From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:ZIMBABWE: WOMEN SAY NO TO ''LOVE CLAPS'', GENDER VIOLENCE
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 23:47:49 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Africa, southern
Title: ZIMBABWE: WOMEN SAY NO TO ''LOVE CLAPS'', GENDER VIOLENCE


an inter press service feature

by tichaindepi hwacha

harare, dec 8 (ips) -- sibongile danisa, a 29-year-old mother of
two strongly rejects the notion that the occasional ''love
clap'' strengthens the relationship between a couple and shows a
husband's love for his wife.

''if you hit your wife you are actually subtracting love from
her. you have to sit down and talk,'' says danisa, a resident of
harare's sunridge suburb.

like danisa, betty kamocha of mufakose suburb in harare feels
that discussion is the best way of solving domestic disputes.

''if i were a man i would not beat my wife. beating does not
solve anything because even after you fight you will still end
up talking or going to the elders for advice. so why should he
beat me,'' says 44-year-old betty kamocha of mufakose suburb in
harare.

to commemorate the second international campaign of 16 days
of activism against gender violence, zimbabawean women have
in various ways said ''no'' to violence from their menfolk.

the campaign was organised by the women's action group,
women and law in development africa (wildaf), the musasa project
and other organisations working for women's rights in zimbabwe.

the 16 days of actvism which begun nov. 25 -- the
international day against violence towards women -- were aimed
at conscientising both men and women that the abuse of women is
a violation of human rights.

during the 16 days which ends dec. 10 -- the anniversary of
the universal declaration of human rights -- the women's
organisations aired radio and television programmes, staged
plays and organised marches against gender violence.

evelyn chikoore, a counsellor at the musasa project, a
counselling and research project on violence against women
believes the campaign has suceeded, both internationally and
locally, in making people aware of the different forms of
violence against women.

''some women did not even know that when they are beaten up
they have a right to report'', says chikoore who has just
returned from thailand where she attended a conference on
confronting domestic violence. (more/ips)


zimbabwe: women (2)

but danisa says even those women who are aware of their
rights are ''afraid to report because they are just housewives.
there is esap (the economic structural adjustment programme) now
and they are afraid to leave their husbands or report them'' and
risk being thrown out of the house.

''if my husband started beating me i would report the matter
bcause you can die,'' says danisa, adding that working women
like herself are in a better position to press for their rights
because they are not completely dependent financially.

according to chikoore, during the 16-day period, a total of
20 cases of domestic violence and one rape case had been
reported to the musasa project.

petronella maramba, programme officer at wildaf, a non-
governmental organisation working through the law to promote a
culture of respect for women's rights, says she would not
evaluate the sixteen days in terms of failure or success as the
issues at stake are ongoing and cannot be resolved in a limited
time frame.

''i'm happy with the fact that during the 16 days women have
come together to focus the whole nation on the issue of violence
towards women,'' says maramba, adding that what she now hoped to
see was a continuous effort to sensitise people about gender
violence.

according to a well-known local activist for women's rights
the march against violence towards women held nov. 28 in the
capital harare served as the centre-piece of the 16 day of
activism because it brought visibility to the whole campaign.

she also commended that fact that university women, who have
suffered increasing violence, including rape and sexual
harrassment at the hands of their fellow male students, turned
out in full force to say ''no'' to violence.

however she said the local press had tended to under-play
the campaign in its coverage because they were too scared to
talk about it.

''its an issue that affects everybody accross the board and
the last thing they want is to talk about it. half those men out
there are probabaly wife beaters,'' she said.

meanwhile, during the 16 day period a group of girls from
a secondary school in bindura, about 80 kms north of harare
demonstrated against their headmaster, alleging that he had
sexually molested them.

the courage of the young girls some of whom are prepared to
testify in court against the headmaster, brings hope that women
are becoming more aware of their rights and will not take
violence from men sitting down. (end/ips/tvh/oa/92)
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