med to suit the men rather than the women. Politics was seen as the realm of men, and women were therefore not welcome into this domain. Finally, the most important issue concerns whether or not women were able to acquire new or improved rights after the revolutionaries came into power. The result is not positive. In Zimbabwe, women's participation in the struggle was recognized, and promises were made to examine women's issues. Committees and ministries were set up to do this job, and improved education and health care was legislated by the new government. Yet aside from these changes, women were still being discriminated against, with sweeps for supposed "prostitutes" as well as allotment of land to many men over women. Yet the party became hostile to women's demands, as women were again relegated to an inferior position. Women were banned from the military draft and only a small number were elected to the government with none at all present in the national directorate. All in all, equality for women might have been promised in both these countries, yet the reality still saw women as second-class citizens.Women in Zimbabwe were essential in the revolutionary movements that took place in their countries. Their reasons for supporting the fight and the combatants were many, as they mostly wanted to see an improvement in their social position as well as the economic position of their country. Women were key in helping out the fighters, providing food and shelter, as well as participating in the armed rebellion. Yet when it came to equality, both within the parties and in society after the revolution was won, women were again relegated to second-class status. The promise of equal rights went unfulfilled and many women in these countries must still fight sexism and stereotypes that abound in their societies. Even with these grim realities, women's participation in these struggles was able to mobilize them take action in their society, and g...
