Country
Zimbabwe
Campaign Description
Following the stripping of a young woman at a public bus terminus by touts, Katswe Sistahood [1] mobilised some women activists and undertook a protest march in the city centre, to deliver a petition to the city council to do something about the menace that has become city touts towards women. Women turned up in huge numbers, wearing short dresses and skirts. There were attempts by other touts to harass the group. Following this action, and some video evidence that identified the strippers, the touts were apprehended and brought before the courts and found guilty.
Campaign Objectives
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To put a stop to harassment of women on the streets because of their dressing.
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To get the men who stripped a young woman apprehended and charged for assault.
Campaign Target Audience
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Zimbabwean society
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Harare City council
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The courts
Campaign Tools and Activities (Online & Offline)
- Public march, public community meetings
- Main Activities:
- Public awareness meetings were held to sensitise the public about the gravity of the issue. Then there was the city centre protest march
Campaign Outcomes
- The touts were found through video evidence and prosecuted.
Successes
- The mobilization and collective effort in the women's movement as well as the general publicity generated around the campaign.
Failures
The public march sort of made the female campaigners a little vulnerable to street abuse by the touts that backlashed. There was need for organised police protection, or some security mechanism.
Some of the marching activists were sex workers, and the campaign received criticism because of that. The organisers unwittingly gave the impression that wearing short skirts was a sex worker thing.
Organizations involved
- Katswe Sistahood
Campaign on Social Media
 [2] |