GIP

The Gender and Information Program (GIP) is the anchor of ZWRCN which aims at positioning the organization as the leading Gender and Information Resource Centre in Zimbabwe. The ZWRCN Gender and Information Programme (GIP) strategic aim is Enhancing learning, knowledge building and sharing on women’s rights and empowerment in Zimbabwe and globally. The programme facilitates the provision of credible and accessible information in appropriate means and formats to students,researchers, academia, media practitioners, government officials, cooperating partners and the civil society at large. The programme has two main sub projects: The Resource Centre and the Communication and Publications programmes: The Resource Centre has an Information Centre and the Rural Libraries Initiative.

• The Information Centre is based in Harare and its services include: free specialised library services, internet cafe, reprographic services and a women’s garden.
• The Rural Libraries Initiative supports rural and community libraries to access literature on gender, women’s health, women’s empowerment and women’s education and is currently being piloted in Bulawayo, Gwanda and Domboshava.

The Communication and Publications programme services are provided the through:

• Publications: GIP gathers, packages, repackages internal and externally generated information into publications on gender and development issues.
• Gender and Development Talks: GAD Talks are a popular series of public discussions regularly, organise to cultivate dialogue, promote debate and gender and generate and share knowledge on various gender and development related topics.
• Networking: GIP is also the arm of the organization that assists in maintaining and growing the organization’s networking activities. The programme continuously increases the organizations outreach through networking at national, regional and international levels, with partners such as government ministries, CSOs, human rights organizations, media houses, international agencies among others
• Communication and Media Liaison: GIP coordinates ZWRCN internal and external communication and integrates Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in all programme structures. GIP works in partnership with the media, placing gender and development on the public and debates, as well as facilitating skills exchange to ensure that ZWRCN’s work is appropriately profiled in the media.

The main purpose of these projects is to provide a space for women in their diversity to access information to support research, learning and teaching to enable them to make informed social, economic and political decisions