About the Author: Jean Phillipson serves as a Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe.

On Thursday, April 25, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto will hold a Facebook chat to discuss U.S. foreign policy and Africa. Support for democracy and the strengthening of democratic institutions — including free, fair, and transparent elections — are among the pillars that serve as the foundation of U.S. policy toward Africa.

Zimbabwe held a referendum on its new constitution on Saturday, March 16, paving the way for presidential elections later this year. Zimbabwe’s last elections in 2008 were marred by political violence and this referendum vote was the unity government’s first opportunity to signal whether Zimbabwe’s people will have the opportunity…more »

About the Author: Jean Phillipson serves as Political and Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Shortly after arriving in Zimbabwe, I became involved in the world of corporate social responsibility (CSR). U.S. Embassy Harare’s Public Affairs Section partnered with the Regional Center for Social Responsibility (RCSR) to launch a comprehensive CSR outreach campaign supported by the State Department’s Fund for Economic Innovation in Public Diplomacy. As a Political and Economic Officer, I was grateful to have the opportunity to engage on a critical business issue and participate in this ground-breaking Zimbabwean initiative.

I learned quickly that many Zimbabwean companies do not traditionally engage in areas of public welfare. Neither business schools nor companies provide CSR training; companies that designate CSR responsibilities to employees view them as an extension of marketing. Most do not interact with public officials to outline shortfalls the private sector… more »

About the Author: Sharon Hudson-Dean serves as Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and interests come to Zimbabwe. They come to see the rhinos, elephants, and Victoria Falls; they come as part of church mission groups to build health clinics and schools; and they come to share their expertise and learn from Zimbabweans at all levels. Many American visitors end up doing a lot more than what they planned, motivated by the strong American sense of taking action when faced with a needy situation, as well as a personal desire to change situations for the better. At the U.S. Embassy in Harare, we often hear about these proactive, engaged Americans and are proud that they accomplish so much on their own. When possible, we support them with advice, publicity, and small grants.

“I wanted to make a happy memory,” explains Dennis Gaboury, the founder… more »

About the Author: Megan Petersen servers as the PEPAR Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe.

As we approach World AIDS Day, which we mark on December 1, I wanted to share a little bit about how we are carrying out the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in Zimbabwe.

Every Tuesday morning, the Zimbabwe PEPFAR team gathers. Our meeting consists of colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the embassy’s public affairs section, the Global Fund, the Deputy Chief of Mission, and the PEPFAR Coordinator’s office. Our discussions are focused on the state of the world through the lens of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe.

I am always impressed every Tuesday by the passion and expertise each of my colleagues brings to the table, the variety of programs we are managing on… more »

About the Author: Grace Chung serves as a Rangel Fellow at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Summer is a serious, hard-working time of year in southern Africa. Chilly mornings and bright, clear days define this hemisphere’s winter months when school is in session and young minds are focused. That made it a perfect time for U.S. Embassy Harare and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to bring five American writers from the University of Iowa’s prestigious International Writing Program to workshop and discuss the power of books with Zimbabwean youth.

The writers, representing a wide variety of literary styles, including poetry, journalism, novels, and short stories, started their program by speaking about their craft and inspirations at writing workshops and literary readings in the capital of Harare. To liven up one evening, they turned a reception at the Deputy… more »

About the Author: Hannah Johnson serves as an Assistant Editor for DipNote.

This week’s “Photo of the Week” comes to us from the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic and shows Ambassador Norman L. Eisen and a group from the embassy marching in the second annual Pride Parade in Prague on Saturday, August 18, 2012. The parade participants walked from Wenceslas Square to Strelecky Island accompanied by floats with music and dancers.

The United States is working throughout the world to defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people of all races, religions, and nationalities as part of our comprehensive human rights policy… more »

Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 23, 2012

The United States condemns the Government of Zimbabwe’s violent arrest and detention of 44 members of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe on August 11 and a second raid by police on August 20. Several of these members sustained serious medical injuries from the attacks and were detained without charges. The Government of Zimbabwe has also targeted these same members’ homes and singled out their families for interrogation and harassment.

The United States stands in solidarity with Zimbabwe’s civil society, including LGBT activists. We are deeply concerned when security forces become an instrument of political violence used against citizens exercising their democratic rights. We call upon the Government of Zimbabwe to end this pattern of abuse and to eradicate the culture of impunity that allows members of the security sector to continue to violate the rights of the Zimbabwean people.

About the Author: Karen Johnson is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Rome, Italy, where she works with FAO and other UN agencies in Rome to support innovative and effective development projects.

It’s normal to think that food assistance is simply about keeping stomachs full. But, in fact, it’s far more complex than that. It’s also about empowering and enabling people to support themselves and their communities on a sustainable basis. A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Zimbabwe and Mozambique to visit development projects supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with local authorities. It was there that I saw what a difference agricultural development efforts can make in people’s lives.

Women Take the Lead

It was clear to me that women play the key role in providing food and income to their families in both these countries. In the areas I visited, small-scale farmers are almost exclusively female. Many of the local men have moved to South Africa to work in mines, therefore women are the community leaders… more »

About the Author: Suzanne Philion serves as Senior Advisor for Innovation in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

It’s not every day that the State Department gets to go back to school.

Last week, we partnered with Chicago Public Schools to link Lincoln Park High School students with secondary school students in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Algeria, and Peru via video conferencing technology. Students engaged in a range of human rights-related topics in anticipation of the 12th World Summit of Nobel Laureates, taking place in Chicago from April 23-25, 2012. Juniors and seniors from Lincoln Park High School connected with English-speaking youth brought together by our U.S. Embassies in Accra, Harare, Algiers, and Lima.

These incredible students from three continents discussed a wide range of issues candidly and respectfully. They touched on serious political issues, including women’s rights, education, the Arab Spring, human rights, and access to medicine. Students also connected… more »

About the Author: Sharon Hudson-Dean serves as Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe.

It’s not often we get to witness barriers being broken first-hand — there is a special kind of energy in the air when you do. The sort of vibe that says, this feels like a game-changing event. That was the atmosphere at Harare’s Quill Club (press club) on Thursday, March 15, during its first-ever Ladies Night. Not only did the evening bring in more women at one time than the male-dominated institution has probably ever seen (over half of the 60 guests), but it also featured an intense, on-the-record panel discussion of gender equity, or the lack thereof, in Zimbabwean media.

The first panelist gave a brief history of the Quill Club and set the stage for how urgent it is to break down the anti-women discriminatory practices now in place in Zimbabwe’s media.… more »