Economic empowerment project for women and youth receives major boost from Canada
Women from Hauna Growth Point, in Mutasa district in the Manicaland Province could not hide their joy, singing and ululating, when Ms. Roxanne Dubé, Canadian Ambassador to Zimbabwe arrived at Dzidzai Women's Technical College. The colourful welcome she received could have easily been mistaken for a new bride coming into the traditional homestead. Read more
View the photo story of the visit
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Message of solidarity for gender equality and women's rights
As we celebrate the 2006 International Women's Day on 8 March, the theme Women in Decision-making probes every one of us to take stock of their individual and collective contribution to a society that recognizes, protects and advances women's rights to equal opportunities and treatment.
Read more from Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network
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UNICEF denounces violence against women and calls on all Zimbabweans to halt the horror
The United Nations Children’s Fund today called on Zimbabwe’s political and community leaders to campaign widely and forcefully to end the growing tide of violence against women and girls in Zimbabwe. Read more

University of Zimbabwe student leaders languishing in prison
In yet another clear case of the defiance of the rule of law, police at Avondale Police Station are holding hostage six student leaders who were arrested on Monday at the University of Zimbabwe. This is despite the fact that lawyers representing the students have managed to secure an order for the release of the students from the Attorney General’s office. Read more from the Students Solidarity Trust
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Travel costs force students to stay home
Transport costs are yet another burden for students and parents already struggling to keep up with a 150 to 500 percent hike in fees for missionary and private schools. Read more

Police pick up NCA members demonstrating against a lavish birthday of Mugabe
An estimated 60 members of the National Constitutional Assembly were shoved into four trucks, including one belonging to the city council at the corner of First Street and Nelson Mandela Street. About 100 members were taking part in the peaceful demonstration. Read more
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In Africa 1 in 16 women die in pregnancy or childbirth compared with 1 in 4,600 in the UK. Maternity Worldwide has teamed up with body painter Julia Laderman, and photographer Carolyn Cowan to highlight the plight of women for the UN's International Women's Day (celebrated on Saturday, 8 March).
For more information visit
www.maternityworldwide.org

New Afrobarometer/MPOI surveys on Zimbabwe
- Trust in Public Institutions
- People's Development Agenda and Government's Policy Performance
- Support for Democracy and Democratic Institutions
Visit the MPOI fact sheet

The rule of law in Zimbabwe
"I wish to emphatically state that we will push them out ...The present composition of the judiciary reflects that the country is in a semi-colonial state, half free, half enslaved", said Chinamasa. It is therefore crystal clear that the government, as announced by the Justice Minister in 2001, has "pushed out" independent judges and replaced them with bootlickers of the Mugabe regime. Read more
Visit the CADEGO fact sheet

Economic Poverty Agreements: How the poor are excluded from trade negotiations
On paper, negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) allow for the involvement of a range of organisations that should to some extent ensure the voice of the poor are heard in the construction of the agreements. Richard Kamidza outlines how in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) the reality is far different.
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SADC MPs-CSOs Communique on Africa's Loans
The SADC Parliamentary Forum, in collaboration with the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), convened a second Dialogue between SADC Parliamentarians and representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Windhoek, Namibia on 15 and 16 February, 2006 to discuss the question of Loan Contraction and Debt Management in the region. Read more
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Report of the FCTZ information sharing workshop on HIV/AIDS and farm communities
It is estimated that the spread of HIV/AIDS is higher in former large-scale commercial farming areas and mines than any other sections of the Zimbabwean population. National statistics show that 34.9% of the people infected are people staying in farms or mines compared to 28,1% and 20.9 % of people living in towns and rural areas respectively. Read more from the Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe

WOZA statement on Valentine's Day protests
The Bread and Roses theme was selected as a fitting beginning for WOZA's Social Justice campaign. As we go out onto the streets in the coming months, our demands for a socially just Zimbabwe will continue and become even clearer. Read more
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WASN reflects on the lives of women in Zimbabwe today
Women remain the most infected and affected people by HIV and AIDS which is claiming many lives. Women are dying prematurely of AIDS because of a number of factors, which chiefly includes lack of access to HIV related treatment due to poverty. Read more from Women and AIDS Support Network
Visit the WASN fact sheet

Huge response to appeal to help restore women's dignity
A staggering response by ordinary South Africans to an appeal for sanitary pads for Zimbabwean women, hit by shortages and rocketing prices, has floored activists. Read more

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Education Bill adopted after heated debate
The House of Assembly yesterday adopted amendments made by the Upper House to the Education Amendment Bill after a heated debate as parliamentarians were divided over the contentious issue of school fees. Read more

Zimbabwe private schools to challenge constitutionality of new fee law
Authorities at Zimbabwe's private schools on Wednesday said they will challenge in the courts the constitutionality of a new education law that gives the government powers to determine school fees once President Robert Mugabe signs it into effective legislation.
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Swedish ambassador speaks out on the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe
"We do actually a lot still and we are building on the old relationship from the liberation struggle, solidarity network that developed over a number of years humanitarian support to ZANU and ZAPU at the time."
Read more
 Listen to the audio files

SIDA pledges continued support for child rights project in Murehwa
Speaking at Murehwa Training Centre, the Swedish ambassador assured the Murehwa community that his Government was fully aware of the present problems and challenges facing Zimbabweans and that they would not abandon them. Read more
View the photo story of the visit

Political violence report: January 2006 - Overview
The month of January was relatively quiet in terms of political violence. This can be attributed to a number of reasons. The split in the MDC, following a decision on 12 October 2005, resulted in a pro-senate and an anti-senate faction being formed with one faction fielding candidates in November 26 Senate Elections and the other deciding not to. This split undoubtedly gave the ruling ZANU-PF party the impression that there was no credible opposition with which to contend so giving the MDC space to continue with their very public and acrimonious disagreements. Read more
Visit the HRForum fact sheet

Government media suffocates human rights violations
The urgent need for more alternative daily sources of information was again glaringly illustrated by the government media’s initial suffocation of various widespread human rights violations by government agencies during the week, followed by their entirely inadequate and tardy coverage of these events. Read more
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MISA criticises attack on the Financial Gazette's 'Mavis Makuni' by the Herald
While MISA-Zimbabwe and the MMPZ uphold the principles of freedom of expression, it is our considered view that Manheru’s comments go beyond the bounds of decency and fair comment. Read more

VOP application turned down
The application for refusal of remand by Radio Voice of the People board members has been turned down by a Harare magistrate. Read more
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EC allocates funds to a new Vital Health Programme
The European Commission has allocated €12 million to the global humanitarian aid plan for Zimbabwe for 2006. This plan aims to reduce the extreme vulnerability of population groups at particular risk.
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