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.