Evaluation of the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional Centre for ...

131.2 The Southern and Eastern Africa Centre for Women’slaw1.2.1 Chronology and OrganisationSupport has been given over 25 years through the following chronological phases:−−−−−−−−The first post-graduate Diploma Course in Women’s Law took place at theInstitute of Women’s Law at the University of Oslo in 1987.In 1990 the course was transferred to the Department of Private Law at theUniversity of Zimbabwe. From then on the University of Zimbabwe (UoZ)has had the responsibility for the implementation of the Women’s LawProgramme (WLP), with the support of University in Oslo (UiO).In December 1993, Norad and the University of Zimbabwe entered into acontract that later has been referred to as “the main contract”. In thedescription of the programme for 1993 to 2003, there was also an objective toestablish a collaborative programme that would undertake training, teaching,research and publication in women’s law and promote academic capacitybuilding and networking within the region and to engage in an extensivepublication programme on women’s law.In 2000 the Women’s Law Centre at the University of Zimbabwe wasestablished as a Centre within the Faculty of Law. The Centre was formedfrom the earlier Women’s Law Programme in the Department of Private Lawwithin the Faculty of Law.In 2002 it was determined that the Centre should upgrade its core programmefrom a Diploma to Master’s degree in women’s law, largely targeted at lawyers,but also including non-lawyers.From 2003 a regional Master in Women’s law was launched and a separateRegional Centre; the Southern and Eastern African Centre for Women’s Law(SEARCWL) was set up. A regional programme through close cooperationwith partner universities in the Eastern and Southern African regions wasthereby created. A network of partner universities and academics wereestablished and in addition to University of Oslo, five universities in easternand southern African region, namely, University of Cape Town, MakerereUniversity; Chancellor College, University of Malawi and the Nairobi andStrathmore Universities in Kenya became partners. Four universities havesigned MOUs with UoZ. Later, the University of Zambia and the OpenUniversity of Tanzania have joined as partners.Between 1993 and 2001 157 participants from 9 countries completed thediploma-course in women’s law. From 2003 until 2012 149 full course studentssuccessfully completed the Master’s degree. Forty six (46) diploma graduatesupgraded to Master’s degree between 2003 and 2010. To date, of a total of 202students, 195 have graduated.From 1993 to 2012, Norway supported the programme with approximatelyNOK 67,4 mill. The funds were used to support the participating students,payment for teachers from cooperating universities, infrastructure investments