General a Agricultural Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe
GAPWUZ is a voluntary, democratic and autonomous trade union organisation, which was established to promote, advance and protect the rights and interests of workers in the agricultural sector. It seeks to create a better life and future for farm workers in Zimbabwe. It was formed in 1982 and formally registered in 1986. It has a presence in almost the whole country via 29 offices with the main office in Harare. The Congress is the supreme authority of the union, which is composed of the National Executive and delegates from different branches. It meets after two years for Bi-Annual Congress and after four years for its Congresses as per its constitution.
Before the advent of the controversial land reform and seizure of commercial farms in the year 2000, the organisation's membership stood at 47 000 members out of 200 000 workers. However, due to the expulsion of farmers and farm workers the membership has declined to 25 000 out of a total potential of 100 000.
GAPWUZ is affiliated to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Union of food (IUF) and International Federation of Wood Workers (IFBWW).
GAPWUZ programmes seek to regulate the relationship between workers and their employers and to protect members' interests. the mandate has extended to cover civil -political rights as farm workers and displaced farm workers are targets of violations. It also seeks to reduce all forms of child labour in the farming community and to improve the participation of women in decision making. GAPWUZ strives for a vibrant agricultural industry in Zimbabwe, where all workers are free from exploitative labour practices where they enjoy good living and working conditions.
Hivos considers GAPWUZ as an organisation that is representing the aspirations of the marginalised farm workers. In this respect Hivos acknowledges that it is important that the organisation is supported in its efforts as they contribute towards its commitment to poor marginalised people and their organisations.
Before the advent of the controversial land reform and seizure of commercial farms in the year 2000, the organisation's membership stood at 47 000 members out of 200 000 workers. However, due to the expulsion of farmers and farm workers the membership has declined to 25 000 out of a total potential of 100 000.
GAPWUZ is affiliated to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Union of food (IUF) and International Federation of Wood Workers (IFBWW).
GAPWUZ programmes seek to regulate the relationship between workers and their employers and to protect members' interests. the mandate has extended to cover civil -political rights as farm workers and displaced farm workers are targets of violations. It also seeks to reduce all forms of child labour in the farming community and to improve the participation of women in decision making. GAPWUZ strives for a vibrant agricultural industry in Zimbabwe, where all workers are free from exploitative labour practices where they enjoy good living and working conditions.
Hivos considers GAPWUZ as an organisation that is representing the aspirations of the marginalised farm workers. In this respect Hivos acknowledges that it is important that the organisation is supported in its efforts as they contribute towards its commitment to poor marginalised people and their organisations.
Type organisatie |
Membership organisation |
Werkveld |
Human Rights & Democratisation |
Land |
Zimbabwe |
Opgericht |
1982 |
Hivos partner sinds |
2003 |
Empowerment of Agricultural Workers on Human and Workers's Rights
| DAC-sectors: | Human rights |
|---|---|
| Location: | HARARE |
| Beneficiary: | industrial or plantation workers |
| Contract total: | 50.000 |
| Contractperiod: | 01-07-2010 until 30-06-2011 |
| Description: | |
|---|---|
| Hivos support will be directed towards the membership drive of GAPWUZ so to increase the number of unionized farm workers. Most farm workers are marginalized and have not voice in collective bargaining agreement. Support will also go towards awareness raising and lobby and advocacy activities targeting at enhancing the understanding on worker rights as well as other civil political rights for the farm workers, both displaced and those on site. GAPWUZ will be funded to enhance its organizational capacity to engage in meaningful collective bargaining agreements to negotiate for decent salaries and conditions of service. Motivation for Hivos support is that farm workers and their marginalize dependents have become the targets for harassment and abuse since the start of the land reform program in Zimbabwe. Their human rights are violated and their labour rights are disregarded as the policy makers and government officials have become employers thereby turning a blind eye to labour issues. The collective fights for both labour and human rights becomes a pursuit worth supporting in the broader drive for a democratic and open society in Zimbabwe. GAWUZ remains the only independent union under the farming sector in the face of government fueled splinter unions and is therefore worth supporting. |
Gapuz - Coalition Against Child Labour
| DAC-sectors: | |
|---|---|
| Location: | Zimbabwe |
| Beneficiary: | indigenous peoples, ethnic/religious/cultural minorities |
| activity | Lobby and advocacy with policy makers on child labour |
| Direct outreach | 200 - Policy level/ institutional |
| Indirect outreach | 1000 - Policy level/ institutional |
| activity | Increase community awareness on children's rights and protection from work |
| Direct outreach | 1000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Indirect outreach | 5000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| activity | Make school attractive to facilitate reintegration of former child labourers |
| Direct outreach | 100 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Indirect outreach | 1000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Contract total: | 170.150 |
| Contractperiod: | 01-05-2006 until 30-09-2010 |
| Description: | |
|---|---|
GAPUWZ - Empowerment of Agricultural Workers on Human and Workers's Rights
| DAC-sectors: | |
|---|---|
| Location: | Harare |
| Beneficiary: | indigenous peoples, ethnic/religious/cultural minorities |
| activity | Lobby and advocacy with policy makers on child labour |
| Direct outreach | 200 - Policy level/ institutional |
| Indirect outreach | 1000 - Policy level/ institutional |
| activity | Increase community awareness on children's rights and protection from work |
| Direct outreach | 1000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Indirect outreach | 5000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| activity | Make school attractive to facilitate reintegration of former child labourers |
| Direct outreach | 100 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Indirect outreach | 1000 - Beneficiaries: poor and/or marginalised women and men |
| Contract total: | 170.000 |
| Contractperiod: | 01-11-2006 until 31-10-2009 |
| Description: | |
|---|---|
Hivos will provide GAPWUZ with institutional support to enable it to carry out its work to empower farm workers on their worker and basic human rights. The project activities will be targeted at the GAPWUZ constituency which is farm workers who are located throughout the country. GAPWUZ work covers 1500 farms and estates which include plantations, tabbacco estates, fishing camps among others. Farm workers in Zimbabwe remain poorly remunerated and exposed to very poor working conditions making them susceptible to constant violation of their human and worker rights. Hivos will support training and workshops to raised awareness on the various issues that affect the welfare of the farm workers. Hivos suppport is motivated by the fact that the new agrarian dispensation has not taken worker rights seriously . The support will streghthen the collective bargaining of workers and give them a voice and capacity to exert an influence on what happens at the work place level and compensation for their efforts |
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