(2017) 1 African Human Rights Yearbook 79 Society continues to view women’s best place to be at home, seized with reproductive roles while men are concerned with productive roles and leadership issues. These roles are perpetuated by the media that continues to portray women’s place as being in the home rather than in public life. The media’s portrayal of women in the home also affects the decision of appointing individuals and the voting behaviour of the electorate. Confined to their homes, a majority of women spend their time doing unpaid household chores, and they consequently lack leadership experience, and political networks to run for office. The plight of women is made worse by the increase of the HIV/AIDS pandemic which has claimed many lives. In 2009, 1.1 million Zimbabweans were living with HIV/AIDS (61 per cent women, 39 per cent men).101 The increase in the numbers of those infected and dying of this scourge also means increased unpaid care work for women. As noted by Duke,102 the manifold demands for women as wives, mothers, and home keepers, leave them with little time and energy to participate in political meetings and campaigns, which unfortunately take place at very odd hours and with no strict compliance to time. Sometimes women, especially in rural areas, are not able to leave home for paid work or even to attend meetings. As a result, women lose out as these meetings are platforms where information is disseminated, and where appointments and elections are conducted. Although there is an increasing awareness about this emerging care work by women in Zimbabwe, sustainable responses thereto are still minimal. 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The African Women’s Rights Protocol is an innovative instrument for advancing women’s rights in Africa. Its article 9 calls for equal participation and representation of women in politics and decisionmaking processes. This provision is potentially ground-breaking for Zimbabwe and other African countries where women’s participation in decision-making institutions has for long been quite limited. This article examines the importance of article 9 of the Protocol and reflects on its domestic effect in Zimbabwe. On domestic effect, the article notes that Zimbabwe goes beyond the Protocol to provide for legal, policy and institutional practices to implement article 9, and to bring about desired outcomes in relation to equal representation of women in political institutions. It further discusses the persistent forms of violence, poverty, and socio-cultural barriers that limit women’s inclusion and participation in politics and decision-making institutions. To ensure equal and effective women participation in politics and decision-making process, Zimbabwe must aim higher, and endeavour 101 ZimStats & ICF International (n 81 above). J Duke ‘The dynamics of women participation in democratic politics and sustainable development in Africa’ (2010) 12 Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 4. 102