Overthrow Patriarchy

Okay. Let me explain. I am not some rabid man hater as readers of  'The Sun' or 'Daily Mail' in the UK would automatically think if they heard such a statement! I enjoy the company of people, gender becomes a separate issue - we are all just human first. But patriarchy is about repressing everyone, men and women. Patriarchy is about preserving the interests of those with all the power, and it has it's roots in the past, where men were seen to be superior based on their gender, and women were seen as barely above a child in status. This is not based on intelligence or ability - but on raw physical strength. Just because a man can overpower me, as a woman, it doesn't make that man superior to me. This Stone Age way of deciding who is worthy of respect belongs, well, in the Stone Age.

This attitude towards women that is so prevalent in Zimbabwe, where we see issues around gender violence coming to the fore through WOZA, is not limited to Zimbabwe. It is alive and well in the UK. In Zimbabwe, President Morgan Tsangarai has recently pulled out of his proposed marriage to his pregnant (now former) partner. Of course anyone has the right to do this, and it is better to decide before the marriage that it wouldn't work, rather than going through with it, but their is a very unpleasant edge to this. Tsangarai has effectively publically humiliated his bride to be, and it seems, won't be paying the 'Bride price', or Lobola. I am shocked that Lobola still exists in the Twenty-First Century! A woman is NOT, may I repeat, NOT property, that can be rejected and returned to sender. A public debate has arisen around this poor woman and her unborn child, with little regard for the effect it will have on her.

In the UK, we often try to claim to be 'more enlightened' - that's a joke. We may not have Lobola, but shockingly, women are seen as objects more than ever. Despite the ground covered by Feminists in the 60's to the 80's, we seem to be regressing. Men's magazines parade images of women that are mysogynistic and de-humanising, while pretending it's all just a laugh and a 'bloke thing'. We have Lap-Dancing clubs everywhere, and these women actually have to pay the club to perform, and so to make a profit, the woman who pushes further than the rest, and goes naked, earns more money than the others - so in the end, they all do it, to earn money. This is really prostitution dressed up as popular entertainment.I find discussions around these issues result in shrill, loud protests that I must be 'frigid' or 'jealous'. It could never, apparently, be that I want to preserve my integrity and dignity, and have some self respect. Why would I want to be treated like an object?


Objectification. That is the lasting legacy of patriarchy. This attitude, where other people exist for the ruling elite's entertainment or service, has got to end. People are not objects. Animals are not objects. The land is not an object to be used and thrown aside when no longer fertile, either. Look at the way we treat the world, and animals, and fellow human beings - this is patriarchy.

Women traditionally have clearer values. Where men seek power (traditionally), women seek companionship, love, co-operation and sustainability. This polarisation of values along gender lines should be challenged - all men are able to embody 'female' values, but are taught that this makes them, somehow, not a real man. There is this thing about being a real man, all macho, and if a man doesn't live up to it, he is a failure in the eyes of many. This harms men! I know so many really gentle, sensitive men who suffer because of this expectation, and this is sad. Women sometimes decide to embody male attitudes of power seeking, and ruthlessly use their bodies to attain their ends - step up Katie Price. She has influenced a generation of girls to believe that her brand of 'feminism' is the way to go, as did Madonna with the previous generation. Hyper sexuality somehow equals power. It's true men will be impressed by this, superficially, but remember, the bottom line is - this style of being panders to objectification, and the men do not see Katie as a normal human being - she is objectified. She objectifies herself, and thinks the answer to her problems is more work on her body and face. I don't dislike her. I feel she is confused and lost. and so are we all - in this patriarchal system where ruling classes have it all, and we the tools of the oppressors conform, not knowing what else there could be, who else we could be!

WOZA wants us all, men and women to return to what are traditionally 'feminine' values, regardless of our gender - and this is the new Feminism. It's not about being chained to the kitchen, to be espousing 'traditional values'. To WOZA, traditional values are those of love, compassion, and non-judgementalism - the love a good mother gives to her children is a good analogy. A good mother teaches equality by not favouring one child over another, she shows her love is unconditional by still loving the errant, difficult teenager, and so on - these are the values I mean. Women need to reclaim their power and show men the way, just as WOZA are doing now in Zimbabwe. It's tough going there! But let's try and start an Eve-olution here too!

Eve-olution

What is an 'Eve-olution'?

Well, an 'Eve-olution' is lead by women, and brings peaceful, gradual change, while a revolution is usually lead by men and brings rapid, violent change. Jenni Williams says that what usually happens in a country when there is a revolution, is that one group of power hungry people get replaced by another - and that the fundamental issues of equality, freedom and civil rights tend to get side lined, even when they were the main drive behind the revolution. This is because adrenaline runs high in these tense political battles and the original inspiration for the revolution can be left behind and a power struggle ensues. Men tend to lead revolutions, and women are sidelined, and also tend to suffer the most when there is a heavily contested political space, as there is in Zimbabwe. In a revolution, change is rapid, and events can spin out of control, and outcomes are unpredictable. In an 'Eve-olution', the change sought is gradual; it is lead by women and aims at changing hearts and minds through peaceful protest, education and re-training in core values - love, equality, respect, dignity. In a country where so much brutality and repression continues to take place, it is quite easy to lose sight of those core values in the struggle for survival and in a climate of fear. These core values become eroded, and people begin to act in self-interest, and demand respect from others by instilling fear - rather than earning respect and offering it to others. True respect has nothing to do with fear and subjagation, but somehow in difficult circumstances people can lose sight of the real meanings of  what really matters to us all. As Williams says, we then find a love of power, and not the power of love. So a return to core values is vital in setting priorities, and as women are the mothers of the nation, women's values are for love and co-operation, and so women stay in touch with what values should be promoted...but this campaign is in no way devisive - it's simply true that women are equal to men and they have not been given the platform to express themselves, and so WOZA aims to redress this imbalance. To be sure, women's rights are not always evident or unassailable even in apparently developed countries like the UK. Love and justice, freedom and equality...these values are at the centre of WOZA, and this is a very exciting and hopeful movement/development for Zimbabwe.

What are WOZA's stated aims?

WOZA is an acronym for 'Women Of Zimbabwe Arise', but also means 'come forward' in the Ndebele language of Southern Zimbabwe.
It is a civic movement that aims to:
*Provide women, from all walks of life, with a united voice to speak out on issues affecting their day to day lives.
*To empower female leadership that will lead community involvement in pressing for solutions to the current crisis.
*Educate women to stand up for their rights and freedom.

What support do WOZA have in the international community?

WOZA is supported by Amnesty International (AI), please google AI to see their valuable work.
In 2008 WOZA won the Amnesty International Human Rights Award from the German branch of AI.
In 2009 WOZA leader Jenni Williams and prominent member Magodonga Mahlungu won the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.
In 2011 WOZA were awarded the French National Order Of Merit by President Sarkozy for their human rights work.