Voting in New York and Thinking of the Women of Zimbabwe

By: Yvette Alberdingk Thijm, Posted: Sep 9 09

Regions: Africa, United States, Zimbabwe

Issues: Freedom of opinion & expression, Rape and sexual abuse, Violence against women, Women's rights

Tags: accountability, Elections, Hear Us, impunity, politically motivated violence, RAU, robert mugabe, SADC, zanu-pf

I became an American citizen on a rainy Friday a few weeks ago.  When I entered the room where the ceremony was held, I was handed a little paper American flag so that I and about 50 other new Americans could wave it as a recorded message from President Obama welcomed us to the country.  Then, a very serious-looking man from the government said: "Now make sure you register to vote and exercise your new rights!"

That's what thousands of women did in Zimbabwe in March of 2008.  They went out and voted.