Harare, ZIMBABWE – Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS), with support from Oxfam Canada, is hosting a National Policy Dialogue aimed at highlighting the linkage between culture, gender based violence (GBV), HIV, AIDS and women’s rights.

The dialogue titled “Harmonising general laws, traditional laws and practices, to reduce the risk of GBV, HIV and AIDS amongst women in Zimbabwe” will seek to identify common ground between traditional norms and practices – often thought to be repressive and insensitive to women’s needs - and legally binding statutes. It will take place at the Jacaranda Room, Rainbow Towers on Wednesday 26 November.

“Only through structured discussions and debates on the policies existing around HIV, culture and gender can we begin to redress the imbalanced environment which continues to put certain groups at greater risk of HIV infection,” said Mrs. Lois Chingandu, SAfAIDS Executive Director.

With the recent enactment of gender sensitive legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act in 2007, the national policy environment has become more conducive for the promotion of women’s rights. 

SAfAIDS in partnership with 10 local women’s organisations has coordinated provincial dialogues throughout the country to promote the sharing of views and opinions related to culture, gender, HIV and women’s rights. The dialogues focused on strategies to facilitate effective decision-making on harmonising the policy environment in as far as women’s issues are concerned.

“This process has demonstrated to us that in the era of HIV and AIDS, policy dialogues are key to the effective reduction of GBV and violation of women’s rights,” said Mrs. Chingandu.

She further noted that the provincial dialogues have played a pivotal role in increased advocacy for policy reform, implementation of good practice and the scale up of effective programmes related to the reduction in GBV and harmful cultural practices, as well as HIV prevention, care, treatment and support.

With participants representing government and civil society from all the provinces in Zimbabwe, the dialogues have managed to foster a culture of cooperation, self review and ownership by the individuals and organisations that have participated.

As an extension of these important discussions, the key issues that emerged from the provincial dialogues will form the basis of the national policy dialogue which will address, among other issues, policies affecting women and girls, the upholding of positive traditional practices and laws, and policy brief development. 

ENDS
For more information, please contact
Beatrice Tonhodzayi, or Lillian Chikara
SAfAIDS
Tel: +263 – 4 – 336193/4, or 307898
Email: beatrice@safaids.org.zw, or lillian@safaids.org.zw