Marching to end child marriage in Zimbabwe

As Female Student Network, we believe that education is a right, and that girls must get the same opportunities as boys to fulfill their dreams. Unfortunately, child marriages are a big menace to young girls academic dreams and the rights of the girl child.

The Constitutional Court on the 20^th of January made a landmark ruling stating that child marriages are unconstitutional. Today we were celebrating this ruling in a joint march by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, students from various secondary, higher and tertiary institutions, Churches and women’s organizations. We are happy to see that such a broad coalition fighting such a patriarchal oppression of our girls. Its now crucial that we use this momentum to make sure that this law is now implemented and that communities around the country are educated on the matter. 

                Poverty is the problem, not culture

Some people argue that marrying off young girls is in our tradition. However, the rise in child marriages in the last year is a clear example that its not culture, but poverty that is the driving force. If we look around the globe, we see that child marriages are a problem in the poorest countries. In our country, we can also note that Hurungwe. an area that has been hard hit by poverty, also has very high rates of teenage pregnancy. According to a study which was done by Ministry of Health and Child Care with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), almost half of the 19 year old girls in this area had been through a pregnancy.

Its time to empower women and girls

A court ruling is a good start, but we now need to do the hard work. As female students, we are dedicated to educate our peers and our communities about the ban of child marriages in our country. We also want to work hard to make sure that girls stay in school, and are not given away in exchange of a bag of rice. Fighting poverty and working for girls right to an education hence go hand in hand. Girls don’t want a husband, they want books. 

Orange day

FSNT would like to commemorate the orange day!

The orange day is part of a campaign started by UNiTE to put focus on Gender based violence and to ensure that violence against women is at the top of national and global agendas. The Orange day is a day to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls, using the color orange to symbolize a brighter future without violence.

According to UNwomen a staggering one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health, and may increase vulnerability to HIV.

In September 2015, a new global agenda was created; the Sustainable Development Goals, which takes over from the MDGs. The SDG is a set of 17 global goals that applies to all countries and will guide policy and action. These goals makes gender equality and women’s empowerment a key priority and includes specific targets to end violence against women and girls.

SDG 5 is to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"

Some of the targets includes 

•  End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
•  Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
• Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decisionmaking in political, economic and public life
•  Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

-    The SDGs correlates with the work of Female Student network Trust.

We work to empower female students through capacity building and leadership trainings. We think that female students have the same capabilities as their male counterparts. We want to see more females as leaders of student unions and SRCs.

We also work for the implementation of Sexual Harassement policies at TEI’s. 

In 2015 we conducted a national baseline survey on Sexual Harrasement in Zimbabwes tertiary institutions. The research was done in 21 institutions across the country. Only 4 out of 21 institutions had sexual harassment policies in place!

The findings reveal that SH is very rampant in TEIs. Many female studenst reportet to have encountered Sexual Harassment in different forms, like unwanted and uninvited physical contact (touching, patting, hugging), inappropriate remarks, wolf whistling and offers of favors, unwanted unprotected sex and even rape. The perpetrators are mostly male students, male lecturers and non-academic staff at campus.

Findings suggest that many female students fail to live their college lives fully, making life style adjustments because of fear of SH in their living and learning environments. Many avoids participation in SRC and other institutions because of fear of being victimized and harassed by fellow students. 

Absence of SH policies means there are limited gender sensitive formal frameworks for use in interventions aimed at creating a violence and harassment-free learning environment for male and in particular female students. Having a SH policy will make it easier for students to report issues relating to SH and will contribute to creating a safe learning environment for students. 

Men and boys also have a responsibility and a role to play as agents of social and cultural change, and in speaking out against violence against women and girls. FSNT encourages male (and female) students to be supporting towards your fellow female students in order to create equal opportunities for participation for leadership positions and decitionmaking processes. 

In 2016 FSNT is committed to continue our work for the empowerment of female students and to work towards all institutions implementing a sexual harassment policy!

HAPPY ORANGE DAY

 

#Orangeday #VAW #orangetheworld #female students #16days #endVAW #GBV

Female Student Network (FSN) strongly condemns the brutality of the police towards female students

Friday 13.november 22 female students were beaten and arrested by police. 

They were demonstrating against the violations of their academic freedom, and voicing out their concerns about the high tuition and accommodation fees at their respective institutions. The scenario took place in central business district in Harare were students were marching from Rezende Street towards the Parliament to present their petition. 
22 female students were arrested; six was released the same day, while 16 remained in arrest overnight and released on Saturday afternoon. 

As an organisation that advocates for the active representation and participation of female students in tertiary institutional politics, FSN is greatly disturbed by these arrests. 

The Network has previously been receiving reports from female students who withdrew from contesting in student representative council (SRC) elections because of risk and fear of being beaten up or arrested. 
FSN strongly believes these arrests and the violence used are some of the root causes and hindrances to female students full participation in student politics and generally in the democratic process.

Therefore FSN urges the government to respect human rights and allow students to demonstrate for their academic freedoms as this is not attached to political affairs, but student grievances towards their academic education.

FSN will always fight for academic freedom for female students in solidarity with other student movements. This will increase their participation in student leadership without fear of being arrested.

FOR HOW LONG ZIMBABWEAN STUDENTS?

 By Patience Malunga

The fees must fall campaign in South Africa eventually led to a non-increment to the tuition fees. Well done South Africa student community! However, I am bitterly bleeding and asking myself when the circumstances of Zimbabwean students will change.

 Most of us students in tertiary institutions are relying on a payment plan because our parents cannot afford the exorbitant tuition fees .My question is for how long are you going to use a payment plan that you cannot even afford to pay on time to access your education ?

Right now you are almost concluding a semester but the surprising thing is you do not even know if you passed the previous semester examinations because your results are withheld, you have not cleared last semester’s fees. Is this how things should be?

Most of us have graduated and still we do not have our original transcripts and certificates because we are owing the cadetship scheme which the government was supposed to pay, but instead its now our personal obligation to pay the bill. My question, is for how long Zimbabwean students?

Most of us are paying tertiary tuition which is above 600 US dollars yet our parents still earn below the poverty datum line. Is this not a wakeup call?

Needless to speak about the power cuts that affect our reading, the water shortages that affect our health, the exorbitant rentals etc.

When the French revolution broke out some historians said it was because of the winds of change blowing across Europe. Is this not a wind of change blowing across the student community in Southern Africa? Education must be accessible #FEESMUSTFALL.

Female students in tertiary institutions face myriad problems

By Yvonne Mufute (Midlands State University)

In most tertiary institutions, female students are more vulnerable as compared to the male students. Young women are affected due to welfare, abusive lecturers, abuse among students and peer pressure. 

Female students are at higher risk in institutions such as Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University and Chinhoyi University of Technology. The welfare of female students is being affected and as a result some are forced to live the life they do not want.

 When we talk of welfare, these are issues related to accommodation, availability of food, conducive learning environment, in short the wellbeing of students.Most students engage in temporary marriages that will last for 3-4 months. A temporary marriage is where by boys and girls stay together as husband and wife and at the end of semester they separate without the knowledge of their parents.

This is caused by high rentals for instance in places like Senga –Nehosho in Gweru, Morningside in Masvingo students pay full rentals $70-90 per head and they will be staying  3-4 pupils  in a room.

It’s so expensive as a result students choose to engage in those temporary marriages and some cohabit with others so to share responsibilities and save money for groceries and other necessities. 

Due to peer pressure some female students get into contractual relationships with older men in order to carter for their needs and wants like clothes, food and other necessities.

On the other side male landlords demand sex from female students for them not to pay their rentals.

If you reject they will be on your neck giving one a hard time for instance raising rentals, locking the gate before 7pm when others will be in school by that time. Usually girls cannot negotiate for safe sex since they will be in need for money above all as a mere beneficiary in the relationship.

Sexual Transmitted Diseases and HIV have become so common on campus to an extent that campus clinics now provide ARVs and medication for STIs. In some tertiary institutions, female students are forced to have sexual relationships with their lecturers due to financial problems and eagerness to obtain distinctions in their academics.

Lecturers demand sexual favors from female students for them to pass their course and as they go for attachment the bosses will be on their neck demanding sex. Female students are affected in so many ways, hence a lot has to be done to ensure their protection and to guide them so that they make the right decisions for their future.

A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

                                     By Linda Kazembe (Midlands State University)

The room was so silent

Sorrow overshadowed me

I knew I was not alone                                                                                

 Tip top went the sound behind me                                       

My heart raced

Alone in a dark world of shattered dreams

A little hopeless girl

With a beast as a father

As the sun set so did my heart faint

No dreams for a brighter future

The sound was as fast as the drum beats

It was so rough as always

My face became his punching bag

Tattoos became my cover page

My painter was my father

Blood stains all over

Pain eats me alive

As I was about to surrender

The voice came again

Like an angel from above

Out of darkness

Led me into the light

Gave me a shoulder to lean on

A cloth to wipe away all the pain

Restored my strength

The chirping birds

The wind

Whispered words of motivation

I became a voice for the voiceless

Pain made me stronger

The time had come

For the first time NO

Changed my life

I was free

Stand up and fight for your rights

Have the courage to say NO!

BITTER IS HER BATTLE AND BETTER IS HER VICTORY!!!!

By

Patience Malunga

Created from the rib of man meant her position was right beside and never in merciless irony hands.

She dreads to fight because of fear

Her voice goes mute whenever she wants to scream

Voiceless are her cries and broken is her smile

A stranger to peace and a commoner to tears pain and sorrow

Darkness has failed to give her solace neither her tears able to moisturize the dryness on her face

In labor she travails to bring forth another human being to life

Despite the pains and the turmoil of labor she gladly embraces her new one

 Routine of breastfeeding, diaper changing and sleepless nights follows

She does this in the name of love to a man whose love is miles away

This man has nothing to offer but a bitter pill of anger, rage and hatred

His music is full of torture as his words are never positive

But strongly she lives and fights for the cause of her children

She wears the victor’s crown

A hero whose song is never sang ………………..

FSN celebrates International Youth Day

As the world commemorates International Youth Day, Female Students Network (FSN) cherishes the strides made to ensure that young people of today become active participants of their destiny on the political, social and economic spheres of their communities.

Youths are the future leaders of tomorrow, but it’s sad however to note that their voices often go unheard.

For our country to move forward to a brighter future, youth voices need to be amplified, their concerns heard because they are the ones holding the country’s future.

Hearing out what the youths are saying is essential for designing specific interventions that address their unique vulnerabilities and enable them to realize their hopes and aspirations. Therefore there is need to create platforms where youth can participate and share knowledge and ideas on how they can be active citizens who can able to contribute effectively to their personal development and that of the country.

There is also need to increase the capacity of young women in decision making positions, starting from within families going up to national level so as to reinforce gender equality.

Most young people, particularly the most vulnerable, lack knowledge of how to participate in relevant networks. As we celebrate this day however, there is need to look at the challenges that the young people of today are still facing, unemployment being the major one so that they can be rectified.

The failure by governments across the globe, including Zimbabwe to guarantee the eradication of all challenges that result in young women not being afforded the same opportunities as young men dropping out of school is against human freedoms and we condemn such in the strongest sense.

 

FSN therefore urges the government and development partners to effectively engage young people in developing national planning strategies and policies so that they can be given an opportunity to actively participate in all national processes.

An increased commitment among young people, youth-led organizations and greater political will of decision makers at all levels are needed for meaningful youth participation in development policy planning.

Promoting awareness among young people and enabling their full engagement in mitigation centred initiatives can facilitate their experience and enable them to so assume ownership of their contribution to development.

FSN Condems ZINASU/ZICOSU rivalry

Female Students Network (FSN) would like to express its displeasure in the continued rivalry between the two leading students’ movements in the country, Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) and Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (ZICOSU).

We have a strong belief that the rivalry which sometimes turns nasty is the root cause of why female students are shunning student leadership. FSN condemns in the strongest sense the polarisation of student movement along political parties as we believe that student’s movements are meant to impress the plight of students. We consider that the  plight of students is the same, hence there is no reason why the two organisations should be at each other’ s throats as opposed to forging a united front in improving the learning conditions for students.

The Network understands that the rivalry between ZINASU and ZICOSU is an extension of the polarisation of the political situation in Zimbabwe where some political parties are now using the student bodies to further their ambitions at the expense of the students’ plight.

As an organisation that advocates for equal participation between female and male students in institutional politics, FSN is greatly disturbed by these clashes as they hinder the Network’s cause. The Network has been receiving reports from female students who withdraw from contesting in SRC elections because of intimidation and fear of being caught up in the clashes between ZICOSU and ZINASU. These clashes do not provide a level ground for the maximum participation of female students.

Furthermore, FSN believes a united and focused student movement will deliver the much needed improvement of educational standards and student politics which we all aim to achieve.  When we call for unity we are not saying ZINASU and ZICOSU should merge, and form one union.  While this might be noble, they might have different founding ideologies and principles, but we also believe that a request for a united fight for the uplifting of student welfare is not asking for too much from the two bodies if their cause is real.

We believe that with a united spirit, the rivalry between the two bodies will be a thing of the past hence female students who are usually vulnerable in hostile environments will start actively participating in student leadership without fear of being fingered in the nasty fights between ZICOSU and ZINASU.

MDGs and Post 2015 Development Agenda: Gender equality still a priority

As the sun rises, so does the lapsing of time. So is the time-frame of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which are supposed to be achieved by 2015.

 In Zimbabwe, the dare which is the highest decision making body is still a preserve for the males. At national level, the equivalent of such is the cabinet and parliament. With such institutions still dominated by men the decisions made in most cases are biased towards males.

MDG number 3 aims to promote gender equity and to empower women by 2015. In Zimbabwe however, women are often being excluded in many decision making processes. Despite the fact that a number of many women organisations have been formed, women are still under represented in many aspects of leadership.

Women are largely involved productive work such as farming and gardening, in order to meet the fundamental needs of their families, but their efforts are not recognised as major contributions to the national development.

 Female Students Network (FSN) believes that women should be supported in all facets of life, including in politics as they can contribute more to the development of the country.  FSN feels that the first step in assessing the equal participation of women and men in political life is to focus on the issue of increasing the number of women in decision-making positions.

 The largely male dominated cabinet with only three women out of 26 means that women’s voices can hardly be heard.  There is also need to influence the change of parents’ mind-sets regarding education for both male and female children.

Parents need to accept that children are equal and they should be given equal opportunities in life because with no proper education, the girl child will be less likely to have a say socially and politically and to be able to support themselves.

Another MDG which is a cause of concern is goal number 5, which stipulates the improvement of maternal health as cases of maternal mortality remain high. Female students are also affected by this issue and the situation is worse for colleges located in rural areas.

According to a research done by the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, the country’s maternal mortality rate is 960 deaths per 100 000 live births. This is a clear indication of the country’s failure to meet MDG goal number 5.

 In Zimbabwe, most maternal deaths are caused by poverty, lack of education and shortage of primary health care centres especially in marginalized areas such as Binga. Cases of women giving birth on their way to the clinic have been recorded the worst affected.

The shortage of critical staff and poor remuneration are other challenges affecting the country’s quest to meet the MDGs.  Scrapping off user fees for pregnant women would be a good development in the country’s mission to meet MDGs because most women, especially in the rural areas end up giving birth at their homes, which is unsafe and prejudicial to their health.

Therefore, the aspect of gender equality and maternal health still remain a priority in the country and should be included in Post 2015 Development Agenda.

Female President for JM Nkomo Poly

Female Students Network celebrates the success of yet another female student who has managed to assume the position of Student Representative Council (SRC) president at Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic College. 

Xolile Thwala was voted as president on the 13th of February this year. Xolile contested with 5 males in the primary election and made it to the final election with one male contender. She said she got encouragement from other female students who supported her and she also had confidence that she would win.

 “I felt a bit intimidated after the elections because the guy that I was contesting with wanted a rerun. Nevertheless, I am trying my best to keep focus. I am motivated by the support I am getting from my colleagues,” added Xolile.

The proud SRC President Xolile Thwala

 

FSN has been to JMN Poly several times, educating female students on the importance of participating in leadership.   The Network also encouraged female students to support each other during SRC elections because female have a tendency of supporting men instead of their female col- leagues. 

The recent surge of female students getting interested in student leader- ship and let alone making it to  top positions is a result  of recent leadership workshops by FSN. 

During these trainings and work- shops, the Network has been conscientising female students on the need for them to shape their destiny by taking up leadership positions.

After attending the workshops most female students feel inspired to join SRCs at their institutions.   The workshops have been a motivation to female students’ participation in their institutions’ SRCs. FSN views these successes as a great move towards the emancipation of females in the once male dominated areas.

Cyber-bullying must stop

 

A lot female students have been victims of cyber bullying. The advent of technology, though a good move, has been a total hell for some as they are constantly being bullied on these technological devices. But what exactly is cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying is the use of information technology to harm or harass other people in a deliberate, repeated and hostile manner. There is a page by the name “Bulawayo Hot Babes” where Facebook pictures of girls are posted without their consent. The admin would then pose a question such as “how many cows can you pay for my lobola because I am very beautiful and I know it”. People would then start to comment, saying nasty, degrading statements that are inhumane and embarrassing.

The worst part of it is that they will be using your name and pictures without your consent. There are other “confession pages” such as such as NUST Confessions, UZ and MSU confessions where students are being openly humiliated by anonymous posts.

The post clearly state people’s names, their degree programme and which year they are in. they then write whatever degrading and embarrassing stuff they fell like writing” she said. Cyber bullying can have devastating consequences, suicide being of them. 

 Another common form of cyber bullying among teens is the sending of threats usually implying that physical violence will be used.

There are no statistics on cyber bullying in Zimbabwe because most cases go unreported. But in other countries like in the USA there are documented cases of teens committing suicide after particularly bad cyber-attacks .

In Zimbabwe it is illegal to send obscene and threatening messages using any form of communication. As Female Students Network, we condemn such behaviour and encourage all women, members or non-members of FSN to desist from embarrassing each other.

FSN denounces female students’ abuse

Female Student Network (FSN) has learnt with utter shock the rape of a student at a Vocational Training Centre in the Midlands province.

The 19 year old student was intoxicated and allegedly gang raped by fellow students at the Vocational Training on Sunday.

According to police reports it is alleged that three male students drugged her and them took turns to rape her until she fell unconscious.

She was later found on the soccer pitch naked and unconscious by college authorities and rushed to Gweru provincial hospital.

The Network condemns such inhumane acts against female students.  As an organisation which advocates for females rights it was really devastating news that this lady was robbed of her sexuality hence her right.

The Network also wishes to warn female students to be careful of taking spiked drinks as cases of such are on the increase.

 

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Empower one woman, empower the whole nation
by Thando Gwinji (Solusi University)

Female Students Network can be seen from afar as just an organization doing a few programs to empower female students in tertiary institutions but from deep within they are doing more than that, they are actually reaching out to the whole world. This is a testimony from a female student by the name of Thando Gwinji from Solusi University in Bulawayo.

I first encountered FSN in 2011 when I was a 2^nd year student doing Peace in Conflict Studies and at that time I was the president of the Peace Club and I attended FSN workshops so that I can further my leadership skills. Well I got more than that, through constantly attending these workshops I got exposure to a wider range of skills, I developed self-confidence, self-awareness and open-mindedness. Above all I got a platform to express myself and my passion in life through constantly interacting with the organization. Through the FSN blog I advanced my writing skills and created awareness on issues affecting me and other female students around Bulawayo. Opportunities then started to build up because my voice was being heard and because of the training that I had received I was bold enough to take them on. In a word or two I can say that I was empowered to be a bigger person than I was before.

 

The Pull Her Down (PHD) syndrome is a very common phenomenon amongst ladies who want to escalate to high positions, FSN however modelled the Push Her Up (PHU) very well. Being just a female student I got the chance to go and represent not just FSN but Zimbabwe and Africa at large at the Study of the United States Institute for Civic engagement (SUSI) through FSN. In this 2014 SUSI program, there were 20 participants representing the SADC region. Of the 5 weeks that I spent in America, 3 weeks were at the University of Nebraska where I was studying leadership, democracy, civic engagement, and human rights with top-notch professors and at the end of the training I was awarded with a certificate of recognition for outstanding academic achievement and leadership skills. Even before the completion of the course I was living the American dream, and so many doors seem to be opening up.

 

 

However, it is not what I achieved that is of essence, it is what I am going to do with what I achieved that matters. The least that I can do is give back to the society, though I don’t have much to give, I believe that the little the effort that I give goes a long way, I will begin by sharing the little knowledge that I have accumulated. I have grown to believe that information dissemination is the first step towards empowerment and anyone can do it. For every young lady out there know that you are also an agent of social change and powerful beyond measure. In my stay in America, I wasn’t only gaining knowledge but I was teaching Americans about Africa as well and I came to appreciate where I come from more. Looking at Africa from a different angle, I could see that we have a lot of potential but we also have a lack of will power and that will power begins with young people who strive to make a difference. Female Students Network is making a difference but it is up to us young ladies to embrace those efforts and be agents of social change.