Help bring dignity to Zimbabwean women in their fight

Being a woman in Zimbabwe is like going to war with a gun minus bullets. Sanitary towels are now threatening the Zimbabwean woman's livelihood.

Zimbabwean trade unionist Tabitha Khumalo told the STUC, "On a wage of £3, with sanitary towels costing £3, women have to choose between sanitary towels or food for their children. You know what they choose".

In an emotional speech, she said that, with the help of trade unions, Zimbabwean women were restoring their dignity. "I am weeping but these are not tears of sadness, they are tears of joy because you will help us", she said.

Tabitha was brought to the STUC by the Amicus union and she moved delegates to tears as she asked them to "support our campaign, restore dignity to Zimbabwean women so that we can fight this dictator and have our right to be human beings".

She also slammed the treatment of Zimbabwean women who have failed to get asylum in Britain.

"To leave your family and your children must show the desperation of these women".

Tabitha spoke of the pressures of being a woman and a trade unionist in Zimbabwe and how she was beaten up by an organised group at a meeting.

"I got a black eye and I wore that black eye as a trophy - proof that I was doing something right", she said.

Turning to the political situation and the taking over of farms, she warned, "This was for power, dressed up as being about black and white race issue. It was nothing to do with race. It was to break our 1.5 million members in agriculture and break our challenge to the government", she said.

Dignity. Period!

You can help the Dignity. Period! campaign by logging on to the ACTSA website at www.actsa.org/Get_involved/zimbabwe_sanitary_campaign.htm and making a donation.

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