Charity Mandishona
By Charity Mandishona
As a woman who has worked with women in the informal economy, I have witnessed firsthand the pervasive violence and harassment they face while going about their daily businesses. To address this, we initiated a program to empower women to take on leadership roles, particularly as councilors in local authorities. During the 2018 harmonized elections, we successfully supported the election of 12 women councilors.
Building on this momentum, we are now advocating for the implementation of the International Labour Organization’s Convention 190, which aims to eliminate sexual harassment and violence in the world of work. We have trained champions who conduct on the job and community awareness sessions on gender-based violence. Additionally, we have engaged with the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Victim-Friendly Unit and local authority gender departments.
Our ultimate goal is to advocate for a review of the Gender Policy and bylaws to ensure women can enjoy decent work without violence and harassment. We firmly believe that #NothingForWomenWithoutWomen , women must be at the forefront of decision-making processes that affect their lives.