This moving statement from ZINASU for International Women’s Day shares some of the challenges facing women in tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe:

It is now common knowledge that in Zimbabwe there is an upsurge in enrolment. Which is not bad in itself but the problem comes when the welfare of the students is forsaken, to be particular the female students who are the most vulnerable as compared to their male counter parts. When I say the welfare of students I refer to issues relating to accommodation, availability of food, a conducive learning environment, access to sanitary wear etc

Since 2007 the halls of residence at the University of Zimbabwe have been closed despite the high court ruling to open. Accommodation therefore is a nightmare for all students at the oldest University. The undergraduates have been reduced to live like rats in off campus residence where they pay full rentals per head.

As a female you will never escape paying with sex, the lecturers will be waiting for you. Abusive lecturers demand sexual favors for you to pass your courses. As you move to industrial attachment the bosses will be waiting for you no attachment without sex, no report without sex, no assessment without sex. If only we can go back to the era where industries would bid to get a student on attachment the incidences of sexual abuse will be reduced. How do we get there when only a few people own the means of production and we have a corrupt government.

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The bail hearing which was expected today in the case of Munyaradzi Gwisai from the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) and the five others who have been charged with treason has been postponed to Wednesday 16 March.

This means the six will spend yet another weekend in police custody. It is Gwisai’s 42nd birthday on Saturday, but he won’t be spending it with his family. Wednesday will mark 25 nights in custody for these detainees.

According to this update from the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe), the bail hearing for Munyaradzi Gwisai and the six remaining detainees who have been charged with treason will be tomorrow at 9am:

With most of the arrested comrades having been released after the state failed to prove a prima facie (clear) case against them, the battle is still on to secure the release of the six comrades who are still in detention. We are still visiting them at the prisons. Welcome Zimuto is at Harare Remand Prison, Munyaradzi Gwisai, Hopewell Gumbo, Tatenda Mombeyarara and Eddison Chakuma are at Harare Central Prison whereas Antonater Choto is at Chikurubi Female Remand Prison. Those four at Central Prison are still in solitary confinement whereas Antonater Choto is not feeling well at Chikurubi. The officers advised that it is not possible for her to see a doctor out of the prison but that the doctor should visit the prison and examine her from there. The lawyers however have filed a bail application today at the High Court and we have been reliably informed that the hearing is set for Friday 11/03/11 at 09:00hrs.

Yesterday was the 100th commemoration of International Women’s Day.

But after 100 years recognising the need for women’s rights and gender equality, what do women have to show for it?

In Zimbabwe, not much.

Female participants in a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) march in honour of the day were forced to strip by male police officers.

According to SW Radio Africa:

Three women who participated in a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) protest march were forced to strip off their clothes in the city centre of Bulawayo by the police, their regional leader has said. One of the three is heavily pregnant. The women were part of a march to commemorate International Women’s Day, which saw a total of 34 members of the group arrested, despite a High Court order saying the march could go-ahead. Barbara Tanyanyiwa of the ZCTU’s Regional Women’s Advisory Council, said trouble began when the police appeared and began dispersing them, and then three of their members were apprehended. “When they were going to the gathering point, that is Jason Moyo and Third Avenue, they were confronted by plain clothes policemen who said they should remove their ZCTU t-shirts.

Read more from SW Radio Africa

Also in Bulawayo, three members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise who were arrested at a 7 March Women’s Day protest were held in custody for the second night in a row – even though the police had refused to prosecute the case. The three were held in Bulawayo central police station. According to WOZA, “There is no flushing toilets; no food and we have to bring food in to every meal and risk theft of this food by officers; no blankets; no access to medication by those on anti retrovirals; no access to water; filthy cells and harassment by police officers.  They have not had the right to see a lawyer.” Read more from WOZA

What difference has 100 years of women’s days made if even on this one day of the year women continued to be harassed, victimised and mistreated?

Yesterday we shared with our subscribers the news about 39 of the 45 treason charge detainees being released. However, as we noted, Munyaradzi Gwisai of the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) and 5 others remain in custody.

Here are some of the responses we received:

• This is wonderful news!
• Great news! We wait for the 6. Keep up the spirit, keep up the fight!
• Thanks be to God. We pray for the remaining 6 to be granted freedom.
• Let’s keep on praying for the remaining ones.
• God is great.
• Time is on our side, we must be patient.
• We will win.
• The Almighty God’s power will deliver them.
• Acts 12 v 5-11 – I mean the same God who did it then will surely even today. Heb 13 v 8.
• Surely one day all of us will be free from bondage.
• The Almighty is a loving and caring Father who is going to lead us out of bondage like he did the Israelites out of Egypt!
• Thank you. Peace to the remaining 6.
• We pray for peace and a good government. Can the Almighty God bless all and release poverty and hunger for many of us to remember his Greatness. Amen.
• God is for us.
• Thank God.
• This is ridiculous. It’s meant to frustrate any meaningful activism here. Kuvhunduka chati kwacha.
• God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. He is doing it for the second time. The third time will be for all who are living in bondage myself included.
• They’ll detain even millions. Know your environment and characters. Action!
• Not fair they must all be relased. God is watching.
• No to treason. If that is the case we are not yet independent. No freedom. So we will go for it. What I know is God is watching. We are praying for their release.
• Certainly they’ll win their case because a remote control isn’t a weapon to threaten the security of the nation let alone the government. It’s a mockery of our justice system. Viva Munya.
• That’s very bad. How is the police force operating just detaining people for the sake of pleasing Zanu PF. Bad recipe.
• Gwisai demonstrated, so has Mugabe. Free him.
• We are with you guys. They cannot kill your spirit. Gwisai, the revolutionary fire in you can never be quenched by any force, whehter natural or supernatural. All African dictators must go this year!
• Shame to the spin doctor, he represents everything bad & evil in this country. To the 45 hang in there we’re with you in our prayers.
• Thank God let’s hope the remaining 6 will be released too.
• That’s better now. We hope and pray that the remaining will be released soon. Let justice prevail.
• Thanks the Almighty and your update.
• Fear of the people is driving them crazy and most dangerous. The masses keep quiet at their own peril. Todaay it’s Gwisai tomorrow it’s you & me!

I am thrilled to report the release of our colleague Lenard Kamwendo and 38 other detainees who had been facing treason charges in the case of the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe)’s Munyaradzi Gwisai and 44 others. In the Magistrate’s court in Harare today, Magistrate Mutevedzi held that there was no reasonable suspicion against 39 of the detainees, and they have been released.

But Gwisai, Hopewell Gumbo of ZIMCODD and 4 others are still being held in custody. They will not appear in court again until 21 March – over a month since they were arrested for holding a meeting in which they discussed recent events in Tunisia and Egypt. They also deserve to be going home today. Free the 6 now.