Zimbabwe Women Rise Against Sexual Violence

From Hear Us – Stand With Us

ADD YOUR VOICE – Help us collect 2,000 (or more!) messages of support to be delivered to African leaders at the SADC summit in Kinshasa from September 2-8.

In 2008, political violence erupted throughout Zimbabwe as a result of highly contested national elections. Between May and July alone, local organizations estimate that state-sanctioned groups abducted, raped, tortured, and beat over 2,000 women and girls due to their political affiliations. Local police have ignored these women’s pleas for protection, justice, and accountability, and national leaders have been equally unresponsive. Hear Us – a video co-produced by Zimbabwean Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) and WITNESS – features four of these women who have come forward to demand justice from the Zimbabwean government and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Next month, the SADC summit is being held in Kinshasa from September 2-8 2009. Help us collect 2,000 (or more!) messages of support to be delivered to SADC leaders at the summit. Add your voice to the call for justice for the Zimbabwean women – sign our petition, record a video message, tweet the campaign, or leave a comment below.

See Hear Us – Stand With Us for more details.