Our Work
Gender Economic Policies and Public Finance
The GEPPF programme is premised on the need to mainstream gender into local and
national governance policies, programmes, and budgets to achieve good economic
governance. The overall programme goal is ‘Women economically empowered through
capacity building of government to mainstream gender in social and economic sector
ministry policy, programmes and budgets in line with the National Gender Policy, to
contribute to poverty reduction” The programme also aims to contribute towards Gender
Responsive Public Services (GRPS) in Zimbabwe, Gender responsive public services (GRPS)
and Gender responsive budgeting (GRB) in local authorities and key line ministries, and
budget monitoring to ensure support to SMEs. It also contributes to other aspects such as
safer cities and towns to reduce Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in public spaces
through delivery of essential services to women and girls i.e. SRHR, water, street lighting,
safe market spaces and safe transport systems.
Gender and Information Program
The GIP is the arm of the organization that manages information dissemination and
communications. It is premised on the fact that information is central to women’s
empowerment and to the nation’s development and promotes women’s access to and
control of information including communication technologies (ICTs). The programme has
two components: Knowledge Management and Production (KMP and the Feminist
Knowledge Hub).
Knowledge Management and Production
ZWRCN manages the flow of gender and development information generated within and
outside the organization though processing, repackaging, and publishing it. The
organization’s social networks on Facebook, Twitter and website blog aim to maintain
dialogue on pertinent gender and development work and the organization’s activities.
The Zivo-Ulwazi Feminist Knowledge Hub
The Hub is a physical walk in space where women and girls can walk in and access Digital Resources,
Feminist Mentorship, Gender Capacity Building Short Courses and the E library. Through the Hub women
and girls will have access to a feminist safe space where they can learn and share across all areas
of life, build solidarity on women’s rights issues and co create advocacy action points throughout
their various capacities. The Hub undertakes a hybrid approach where women can access the space both
physically and virtually. Physically women and girls can walk into the Hub and gain access to the
computers and internet connectivity which enables them to access the E- Library and Digital Resources.
In addition the Hub hosts Feminists Debates and Feminist discussions through the Gender and
Development (GAD) Talks, Brown Bag Series; an interactive intergeneration dialogue series on feminist
experiences across different divides in the country. Virtually the E- Library hosts a plethora of resources
which can be accessed anywhere by just logging onto the online portal.
Advocacy and Networking
ZWRCN plays a pivotal role in Zimbabwe in advocating for gender and economic justice.
ZWRCN is informed by a robust advocacy strategy which encompasses pre and post local
government budget consultations, setting up of provincial budget action committees,
facilitating public dialogue meetings and lobbying meetings with local authorities and
relevant Parliamentary Portfolio Committees. ZWRCN’s advocacy initiatives in this regard
aim at building the ‘demand side’ of governance.
Feminist Movement Building
Feminist movement building to ZWRCN is about bringing together women,
organizations, leaders, and networks to work together in challenging
power structures that reinforce gender inequality using various approaches
and structures. Feminist movement building is centred on having various entry
points through climate, others through racial justice while ZWRCN will focus on
Feminist Macro Economics. At ZWRCN, processes begin with women’s lives and their
understanding of how power operates in their lives. This starting point empowers
women to recognize their own leadership potential and capacity as organizers to
make change in their communities. Women are able build their political consciousness
– an awareness and analysis of the economic, political, and social dynamics shaping
their lives and context, which helps them identify shared problems and needs.
This common ground is the foundation for women to build organizing efforts and collective power
– helping transform practical needs (e.g., clean water, protection from violence, access to land)
into a shared commitment that sparks and sustains feminist organizing and strategies.
The Secret Garden
The ‘Secret Garden’ is a safe physical space for women,
where contemporary gender and development conversations take place.
Women from all walks of life are free to interact with others in
this space to relax, learn and exchange information on issues pertinent
to their daily lives.