Empowering women in the security sector in Zimbabwe

On 23 February 2011, the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance Peace and Security Cluster got into gear in Zimbabwe with a gender sensitisation workshop for members of the security services. The sector is led at regional level by the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), which has started to organise at country level.

The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ), as a member of the SADC Gender Alliance Cluster on Gender Peace and Security, in collaboration with University of Zimbabwe Centre for Defence Studies (CDS), and supported by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) as co-coordinator of the cluster, organised the Roundtable. This was seen as an initiating step towards gaining improved knowledge on the functioning of Zimbabwe’s security sector, the challenges facing women within the sector and to jointly engage in an agenda setting exercise for a more gender balanced and gender responsive security sector.

Twenty-two officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Prisons Services (ZPS), President’s Office and War Veterans Department attended the workshop. The Roundtable presented an opportunity for the security sector to explore ways and opportunities for strengthening the tremendous work that they are doing on gender-mainstreaming, women empowerment and peace building.

The dialogue revealed initiatives that have been taken to address issues of gender inequality and increase women’s participation and representation in decision-making positions in the security sector in Zimbabwe. Police and Prisons now have women holding senior leadership positions such as Deputy Commissioners’, managers of stations, and Community Relations Liaison Officers (CRLO). The Police have also established Victim Friendly Units (VFU) but the number of women in this service was not available. Several female officers are also participating in international peacekeeping missions. Women’s network forums have been established in ZRP and ZPS. The Zimbabwe Prison Service has appointed a gender focal person who looks into gender related issues in the service. No specific outcomes were given on affirmative action in the President’s Office due to alleged security reasons. The War Veterans Department is not an implementing agent but works closely with all security institutions.

Gender related challenges include the lack of resources to focus on the empowerment of women and to support gender training in this sector, the lack of access to modern technology to link with other local and international women’s organisations, negative cultural beliefs on the role of women, resistance to female leadership by male officers and the marginalization of women. Many women and men in this sector are not fully aware of the international and regional conventions and the national policy framework that supports women’s empowerment and equal participation in peace and security issues.

Gender transformation within the security sector includes the need to establish synergies and complementary relationships between women in the security sector and civil society women’s organisations. Strategies identified included:

• WCoZ could establish close links with ZRP and ZPS women’s networks and Kuyedza Clubs.
• Organise breakfast meetings for women in senior positions and sensitize them on International, Regional and National Legal frameworks advocating gender equality
• Organise a 2 – 3 day follow-up and training of trainers’ workshop and ensure that those who matter attend (both females and males).
• Facilitate a forum where women peacekeepers can mission to share information and experiences in order to address their challenges and build a larger pool of women peacekeepers.
• Facilitate the integration of gender into the training curriculum of these services.  
• Develop gender sensitive recruitment, retention and promotion policies.
• Facilitate exchanges with women in the security sector of other SADC countries. Zimbabwe could benefit from the experiences of other countries.
• Effectively use the Police and Prisons women’s networks and forums such as ‘Kuyedza clubs’ to promote a gender sensitive security sector.

Comments by participants
“Today I attended a workshop on gender issues in the security forces. It was an eye opener. What a great start to the year 2011. I do hope our management will implement a gender policy for a better work environment. The facilitator and presenters were equipped and prepared for the workshop. However, it should have been a 2 day event. I will share more when we meet again.” – Sarudzai Precious Chiundura.

“Been to a gender workshop in Harare and I have learnt that I need to be re-Conscientize on gender issues. It has really re-awakened me and I am now eager to work out my esteem fears so as to help my community and country at large.” – A Gambiza

(Excerpted from the report on the Roundtable for Agenda Setting for the Empowerment of Women in the Security Sector in Zimbabwe).