Our Programmes: Fostering Women’s Leadership and Transforming Communities
At the Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE), our work is dedicated to empowering women and dismantling the structural barriers that hinder their participation in leadership and decision-making processes. We apply a transformative feminist leadership approach to equip women with the skills, knowledge, and support networks they need to lead effectively and advocate for a gender-just society in Zimbabwe. Our ultimate goal is to achieve 50/50 representation of women in all positions of leadership and to see communities thrive as women rise.
Our core programmatic areas are designed to address the multifaceted challenges women face and to build their individual and collective power:
1. Capacity Enhancement
Objective: To enhance the quantity and caliber of women in leadership across all echelons of decision-making.
We empower women, young women, women with disabilities, and LGBTQI individuals with essential leadership skills, constitutional awareness, and economic tools. Our approach includes:
Digital Literacy and Rights Training: Increasing women’s knowledge and participation in civic and political life through better access to digital information and tools.
Transformative Trainings: Providing comprehensive training sessions focused on feminist leadership principles, political participation, and personal development.
Solidarity & Support Networks: Fostering strong networks among women leaders for peer support, shared learning, and collective action.
Intergenerational Grooming, Coaching & Mentorship: Connecting aspiring leaders with experienced women mentors for guidance, coaching, and long-term development.
Economic Empowerment Initiatives: Equipping aspiring women leaders with skills in social entrepreneurship, value addition, branding, and market access to build economic independence, which is crucial for effective political campaigning and leadership.
2. Peace Building, Solidarity, and Social Cohesion
Objective: To promote and advocate for a violence-free environment that allows women to freely, actively, and fully participate in democratic processes and leadership platforms.
Recognizing that violence and lack of social cohesion are significant barriers to women’s leadership, we focus on:
Conflict Resolution & Psycho-Social Support: Capacitating women leaders and human rights monitors in conflict resolution and establishing response frameworks for socio-psychological support.
Advocating for Violence-Free Participation: Actively campaigning for an end to all forms of violence against women in leadership (VAWIL) and in democratic processes.
Enhancing a Culture of Care and Inclusion: Promoting environments where women leaders feel supported, respected, and safe.
Building Solidarity: Strengthening alliances among women and with male champions to create a united front for peace and gender equality.
3. Local, National, and Regional Advocacy & Lobbying
Objective: To drive systemic change by advocating for gender-responsive laws, policies, by-laws, and practices.
WALPE is at the forefront of advocating for an enabling environment for women’s leadership through:
Legislative and Policy Reform: Lobbying and dialoguing with policymakers, political parties, and government institutions for the formulation, enactment, and implementation of laws and policies that promote gender equality and women’s full participation in leadership.
Challenging Discriminatory Norms: Actively working to deconstruct patriarchal structures, entrenched social norms, and detrimental forms of masculinity that impede women’s leadership.
Mobilizing Collective Action: Building coalitions and spearheading campaigns (like the #LetsGo5050 campaign) to raise awareness and demand accountability for gender equality commitments.
Constitutional Literacy and Public Interest Litigation: Enhancing awareness of constitutional rights and using strategic litigation to advance women’s political rights and participation
4. Research and Knowledge Management
Objective: To promote and advocate for a violence-free environment that allows women to freely, actively, and fully participate in democratic processes and leadership platforms.
Recognizing that violence and lack of social cohesion are significant barriers to women’s leadership, we focus on:
Conflict Resolution & Psycho-Social Support: Capacitating women leaders and human rights monitors in conflict resolution and establishing response frameworks for socio-psychological support.
Advocating for Violence-Free Participation: Actively campaigning for an end to all forms of violence against women in leadership (VAWIL) and in democratic processes.
Enhancing a Culture of Care and Inclusion: Promoting environments where women leaders feel supported, respected, and safe.
Building Solidarity: Strengthening alliances among women and with male champions to create a united front for peace and gender equality.
