At the start of the year, Nora Coghlan from our policy team wrote about the education crisis in Zimbabwe. After a heated conflict between school teachers and the Zimbabwean government, it was feared that “2009 will be another lost year for education in Zimbabwe.”

Today, CNN.com has an article examining the state of education in Zimbabwe. While they note signs of the education system fighting back to normalcy, the price of education and continued lack of funding still make it incredibly difficult for families to send their children to school.

Watch this corresponding video that CNN ran a few weeks back:

Excerpts below, full piece here:

The country’s education minister in the year-old power-sharing administration believes it could be decade before standards are back up to Zimbabwe’s good past record.

According to the education department, 20,000 teachers have left the country in the past two years and half of Zimbabwe’s children have not progressed beyond primary school.

Many parents today are too poor to send their children to school. Rural schools — where pencils, desks and books are luxuries — are hardest hit.

When CNN visited a Mathabisana primary school in Umguza, in the southwest of Zimbabwe, headmaster Nonkululeko Ndlovu said that at one point teachers used charcoal as a substitute for chalk.

“There are no textbooks to talk about at the moment because I remember the last text books were bought sometime in 2000 or so, when we were still getting government grants but now we don’t have anything.

“Those text books have reached their shelf life. An aid organization donated 32 text books which we really appreciated and we are using those text books right across the grades, trying to impart knowledge to the kids.”

The New York Times and other media outlets are reporting that Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is openly boycotting cabinet meetings as a means of protesting President Robert Mugabe’s party. NYT characterizes this as the “biggest breach yet in the new transitional government.”

More details below, read the full report here:

The catalyst for this step was the jailing Wednesday of Roy Bennett, Mr. Tsvangirai’s deputy agriculture minister-designate, a white farmer who is scheduled to stand trial Monday on three-year-old terrorism charges that his party, the Movement for Democratic Change, says are fabricated. But even after Mr. Bennett was grantedbail Friday after the news conference, officials in his party said their decision to disengage did not change.

“This is the time for us to say enough is enough,” said Thabitha Khumalo, a spokeswoman for the M.D.C.

Mr. Tsvangirai laid out a broad array of grievances. He accused Mr. Mugabe’s party, ZANU-PF, of selectively using the law as a weapon to punish his parliamentarians, putting 16,000 of its youth militia on the government payroll, and remilitarizing the countryside on bases used in last year’s discredited election to organize a campaign of terror against his supporters.

While he stopped short of quitting the government, Mr. Tsvangirai warned that if the crisis were not resolved and a working relationship restored he would call for United Nations-supervised elections.

Check out this update on what’s happening in Zimbabwe from our friends at Amnesty International USA.

-Margaret McDonnell

Zimbabwe is locked in an increasingly downward spiral of diminishing civil rights, decaying infrastructure, violent farm seizures, food insecurity and mass displacement of persons through government destruction of property and those escaping violence and poverty. The situation came to a head last year following Presidential and Parliamentary elections when a run-off election instigated mass violence perpetrated against members of the opposition candidate party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and human rights defenders in an attempt to sway the election results.

A power sharing agreement was negotiated in September 2008 between President Mugabe of the ZANU-PF party, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC-T and Arthur Mutambara of the MDC-M, calling for a return to the rule of law, an end to harassment of political parties, respect for human rights, a new constitution and prosecutions of perpetrators of the election violence.

Since the new government was sworn in February of this year, there have been some small changes in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe now uses a monetary system based on the US dollar or South Africa rand which has curbed inflation but it means many people can’t access hospital care because they have no foreign currency. Additionally, Zimbabwe’s healthcare system cannot provide the services necessary to sustain the population due to serious shortages of basic clinical equipment and medications.

Zimbabwe also faces a continuing cholera epidemic that has seen 100,000 cases and claimed more than 4000 lives since initials outbreaks in August 2008. The epidemic’s severity is traced to lack of functioning hospitals, abject poverty due to the collapse of the nation’s economy and infrastructure and the rainy season that caused raw sewage to seep into wells used for drinking water. Crisis levels of the outbreak will resume when the rainy season returns in October 2009 if the water treatment plants and sewer systems are not repaired.

Zimbabwe’s education system, once a model in southern Africa, is in a state of near collapse. Compulsory school fees are not affordable by most of the population. Educational supplies are not sufficient to promote a conducive learning environment, with children required to bring chalk, paper and other materials to the classroom. The current Education Minister David Coltart reports an average of 30 pupils share one text book in rural areas while in urban areas it is mostly 15-1 or 20-1. An assessment by UNICEF in February 2009 reported “eighty-six percent of schools reportedly open were not fully functional; 54% of the opened schools were conducting no classes at all. Ninety-two schools visited were completely closed: of the total 94 schools reportedly “open,” only 14% of schools reported teaching at full capacity.”

Amnesty International’s Secretary General visited Zimbabwe last month and noted that repression of human rights defenders, political activists, lawyers and journalists continues. In fact, while she was there, members of civil society group Women of Zimbabwe Arise held a protest near the building Ms. Khan was simultaneously conducting a press conference. Police converged on the protest, arresting and beating many people severely, including a grandmother and a mother with her 9 month old baby.

Zimbabwe is approaching new elections in less than a year’s time. The new constitution process requires it to be ratified by the Zimbabwe people in a vote which should occur around July 2010. Further, if the new constitution alters the current structure of the power sharing agreement, such as eliminating the new Prime Minister position or calls for new Presidential elections, there is potentially a second election in Zimbabwe as well. Considering that the violence never ceased in Zimbabwe, the chances of a dramatic increase during the next year are high.

You can help. Amnesty International USA and Physicians for Human Rights are calling for the United Nations and African Union to deploy human rights monitors on the ground in Zimbabwe NOW. These monitors will assist in compiling investigation reports of the violence that occurred during the elections last year, assure that humanitarian aid flowing into Zimbabwe is distributed equitably, monitor and report on-going incidences of human rights violations and hopefully remain on the ground throughout 2010 to assist with monitoring human rights conditions during the coming elections.

-Sarah Hager, Amnesty International USA

Sign the petition here calling for human rights monitors to be deployed to Zimbabwe.
Listen to Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Kahn discuss her visit to Zimbabwe.

Thanks to good rainfall, Zimbabwe has been able to increase production of maize—the staple crop in the country—by 130% to 1.1 million tons. Despite this increase, however, 2.8 million people will still face food shortages this year, as the UN Food and Agriculture Orgaization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) report. Zimbabwe’s food security situation is still extremely tenuous, with basic necessities out of reach for most households. The report also warned that Zimbabwe could see the lowest-ever wheat harvest this winter due to high seed prices and electricity shortages.

“This year’s improved harvest comes after two consecutive years of poor production,” said the World Food Programme’s Jan Delbaere, who worked on the report, reports AP news agency. “Having depleted their food stocks and sold livestock and other assets to cope with the effects of the recent crises, many rural households are still struggling to survive.”

If you’re curious about the report, you can find it here.

-Beth Adler

Thanks to Amnesty International USA, last week I and some other ONE staff got the chance to meet with two extraordinary women from the organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). Formed in 2003 by Jenni Williams, WOZA now has a membership of over 70,000 women (and men) and has truly become a grassroots force to be reckoned with.

The idea behind WOZA, as Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu stressed, is to give ordinary women in Zimbabwe the power to mobilize and take nonviolent action against injustices. Unfortunately, the right to mobilize—something we as ONE members often take for granted—is regularly stifled in Zimbabwe by a police force who, according to Ms. Williams, have become agents of the ruling party rather than an independent and non-partisan organization. Both Ms. Williams and Ms. Mahlangu have spent time in custody for exercising WOZA’s ability to organize and peacefully protest.

Both women spoke at length about some of the crushing social and systemic crises currently afflicting Zimbabwe, including a collapsing economy, healthcare system and a disintegrating—nearly nonexistent now—educational system. The children that are fortunate enough to live near an open and staffed school have to bring their own chair and chalk to school and basic medicines, including pain killers, are no longer available in many hospitals. As these problems mount, the Zimbabwe government continues to subvert the will of the people, making a stark divide between wealthy politicians and impoverished citizens.

It was fascinating and enlightening to hear Ms. Williams and Ms. Maglangu speak not only about their on-the-ground, personal experiences living in Zimbabwe, but also their efforts to mount a massive coalition of ordinary Zimbabwe citizens to speak out against the Zimbabwe government. They are truly living up to the mission of WOZA, which means “come forward” in Ndebele.

To learn more about WOZA and their ongoing campaigns, check out: www.amnestyusa.org/woza and http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=364.

-Chris Scott, ONE

Zimbabwean political leader, nominee to be Deputy Agriculture Secretary and activist Roy Bennett will be joining political commentator and consultant Joe Trippi for a rare television appearance on the MSNBC show 1600: Penn Ave tonight at 6:00pm.

Bennett has been a leading voice for reform and action to end the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe that has plunged this formerly proud nation into abject poverty. For his efforts, Bennett has faced harassment and arrest on trumped-up charges brought by repressive ruler Robert Mugabe’s supporters. Bennett was just recently released on bail and will be back in court next month, so make sure you’re in front of your TV or have set your TiVo, and tell your friends about this rare chance to hear one of Zimbabwe’s most important voices.

Joe Trippi has been working for weeks to help secure the release of Roy Bennett, rallying people in the United States and Zimbabwe to speak out. You can read more about that work on his blog.

Despite the new unity government that includes Bennett’s MDC party, Mugabe is still harassing and imprisoning political opponents and humanitarian and civil society leaders. An unknown number are still in the prison Bennett was just released from. Until these outrages end, rule of law is established and the unity government is pursued in earnest, it will be impossible for Zimbabwe to rebuild its shattered economy and infrastructure, take on widespread hunger, and end Africa’s worst cholera outbreak in 19 years.

But Zimbabwe can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re asking the African Union – the official guarantor of the unity government deal – to do everything in its power to support the new government when possible and put pressure on those within it who are acting in bad faith. You can add your voice by signing our petition to the AU here and follow our continuing Zimbabwe coverage right here on the ONE blog.

-Aaron Banks

Great news, more than 100,000 ONE members have signed our petition to the African Union, asking that important political body to do everything in its power to help Zimbabwe’s new unity government succeed.

After years of misrule, Zimbabwe is mired in a humanitarian crisis that is wreaking misery across this former regional economic powerhouse. What were once some of the best schools and hospitals and most productive farms in Southern Africa are closed and in ruins, victims of the mismanagement, corruption and repression perpetrated by Robert Mugabe’s dictatorial rule. Hunger is widespread and cholera has killed almost 4,000 in Africa’s worst outbreak in 19 years.

Despite all this, there are finally signs of hope. Leaders from the long-oppressed opposition are now part of the government, alongside the still obstinate Mugabe, and they are making slow progress in tackling the enormous challenges facing Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe won’t stay on the road to recovery for long, unless outside actors like the African Union take a leading role in supporting Zimbabwe wherever possible and sidelining those whose actions are hurting this nation in its most desperate hour.

Keep reading the ONE Blog for the latest news from Zimbabwe, as we’ll be continuing to cover developments there and bring you opportunities to get involved.

-Aaron Banks

More than 86,000 ONE members have signed our petition to the African Union, calling on them to keep the commitment they made to support Zimbabwe’s new unity government, as it struggles to rebuild in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

We’ll be delivering those petition signatures in a few weeks and you can help us reach our goal of 100,000 names, making a powerful statement that the world is watching:

http://www.one.org/zimbabweandtheau

Zimbabwe is still in a very precarious situation. As David Lane said in his email to ONE members today:

“This petition won’t be the end of the line for our work on Zimbabwe, there will be much more to do, but it is a critical first step.  Zimbabwe is on the verge of being able to function again and with strong AU support, there is a chance that things could get back on track for people who have been through extraordinarily tough times.”

As the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, it’s more important than ever for us to come together and encourage positive change in the region. As we’ve written about before, the African Union can play a significant role in ensuring that Zimbabwe’s unity government succeeds.

Today, ONE member and activist Kumi Naidoo sent out an email explaining the work he’s done to bring attention to this issue, and his support of the campaign. Please check it out, and lend your voice to the campaign here.

My name is Kumi Naidoo, a South African founder of the Global Campaign Against Poverty, and a ONE member. I’m writing to ask you to join me in signing ONE’s petition calling on the African Union to do everything in its power to end the human rights violations against Zimbabweans and hostility towards humanitarian groups in Zimbabwe. Only then will Zimbabwe’s unity government be able to take on the rampant hunger and widespread cholera epidemic that is ravaging the people of Zimbabwe.

Petition text:
Please ensure that the African Union executes its role as guarantor of the new Zimbabwe unity government.

I recently completed a 21 day fast in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, many of whom are fasting involuntarily in a country ravaged by want, destitution, fear and terror. During my fast, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe joined the government, after reaching an agreement with Robert Mugabe’s party, ZANU-PF. This agreement will be overseen by the African Union, acting as guarantor. For this new unity government to have any chance of ending the humanitarian and political crises in Zimbabwe, the African Union and its member nations must take decisive action to ensure that their role as a guarantor is defined and fulfilled.

I have seen with my own eyes what happens when regional powers like the African Union passively allow governments to dismiss the will of a people. Late last year I travelled to Zimbabwe to see for myself what years of corruption, repression and mismanagement had wrought. While there, I met a 10 year-old boy named Sibusiso who had not eaten for 10 days. He told me, “Our country needs to be free – free as a bird – here we are not free. We do not get food to eat.”

We must take action for Sibusiso, for the millions of Zimbabweans who are just as hungry and face the threat of Africa’s worst cholera outbreak in 19 years, which has already killed almost 4,000 people.

(more…)

Reuters: African Development Bank praises Zimbabwe plan
Zimbabwe has made an impressive start on an economic recovery plan which warrants support from the international community, African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka said on Thursday.

AFP—UN talks with Mugabe ‘positive’: aid official
A top U.N. aid official said she had held positive talks yesterday with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe about finding ways to combat a raging cholera epidemic and food shortages. Catherine Bragg, the assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs, met Monday with Mugabe and new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the long-time opposition leader who joined a unity government this month. She said her five-member team was focusing on the cholera epidemic that has so far killed 3,806 people and spilled into neighboring countries.

Reuters—Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai calls for reconciliation
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called for national reconciliation and forgiveness this weekend, saying that the time had come to address poverty and hunger head on in the country. “This nation needs national healing. It has endured so much violence. Let’s forgive those who have transgressed against us,” Tsvangirai said. Zimbabwe’s new government urgently needs to find a solution to the country’s economic meltdown that has led to the world’s highest inflation and a worthless currency.

-Steve Wilson & Chandler Smith