Research and Advocacy Unit

What Research and Advocacy Unit does

Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) is a Zimbabwe-based non-governmental organization and policy think tank founded in 2006 and headquartered in Harare. It conducts policy research and advocacy on governance, elections, constitutionalism, gender equality, and youth issues, serving Zimbabwean policymakers, civil society, women's-rights organizations, and the broader public. Its core products are research publications, blog posts, video content, and a dedicated Women's Programme, distributed via its website and social media channels (Facebook: rauzw, Twitter: @rauzw).

RAU operates with a small team of approximately 12 employees and runs no disclosed commercial revenue model; as an NGO it is funded through grants, donations, and programme partnerships rather than product sales. Its go-to-market is coalition-based: it works through partnerships with The Women's Trust (Simuka initiative), the Institute for Young Women's Development (IYWD), the Women Coalition of Zimbabwe, and the Women Police Association to deliver joint research, advocacy, and gender-focused programming. Underlying technology is minimal and conventional — web publishing, social media, and video — with no disclosed proprietary platform, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or certifications in the source data. Operating status is listed as active, although the most recent dated activity signals available in the input are from 2018, which is a material recency gap.

Name

Research and Advocacy Unit

Legal name

Research and Advocacy Unit

Website

https://researchandadvocacyunit.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) is a Harare, Zimbabwe-based non-governmental policy think tank, founded in 2006, that conducts research and advocacy on governance, elections, constitutionalism, gender equality, and youth issues for policymakers, civil society, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy (BPADAGAK)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Governance advocacy
• Gender equality
• Civic engagement
• Democratic governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) is an independent Zimbabwean non-governmental think tank that conducts evidence-based policy research and advocacy on governance, elections, constitutionalism, gender-based violence, and youth civic engagement. The organization produces research publications, blog commentary, video content, and a dedicated Women's Programme aimed at fostering citizen agency and informing democratic reforms in Zimbabwe.

Product overview

Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) is an independent non-governmental organization that operates as a think tank focused on policy research and advocacy in Zimbabwe. The organization offers a portfolio of knowledge products including research publications, blog commentary, and video content addressing governance, elections, constitutionalism, gender-based violence, and youth issues. RAU also maintains a dedicated Women's Programme focused on women's political participation and rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Publications Policy research publications covering governance, elections, constitutionalism, gender-based violence, and youth issues in Zimbabwe. Targeted at civil society organizations, women's rights advocates, policy makers, and the general public.
• Women's Programme Research and advocacy programme focused on women's political participation, rights, and gender equality in Zimbabwe. Includes collaborative initiatives such as the Simuka programme to enhance women's political engagement and representation, and joint research on women's participation in elections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research on women's quota system (Section 124) and its impact on women's representation in Parliament
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Women's Trust (TWT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Women's Trust for Simuka initiative to boost Zimbabwean women's participation in politics. The Simuka program was launched to enhance women's political engagement and representation.
• Institute for Young Women's Development (IYWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership on political participation by young women in the 2018 elections. Conducted preliminary research on young women's involvement in electoral processes.
• Women Coalition of ZimbabwecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaging in joint advocacy for women's rights and gender equality. The coalition brings together women's organizations for coordinated advocacy efforts.
• Women Police AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted meetings in Bulawayo on women's rights and equality issues. Part of broader women's movement collaboration for gender equality advocacy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN): Zimbabwean civil society coalition that conducts election observation, monitoring, and analysis. Directly comparable to RAU as a domestic NGO producing research and advocacy on Zimbabwean elections and democratic governance.
• Veritas Zimbabwe: Zimbabwean research and advocacy organization focused on governance, parliamentary monitoring, and constitutional issues. Directly comparable as a domestic think tank producing evidence-based policy research on Zimbabwean democracy.
• Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition: Coalition of civil society organizations in Zimbabwe advocating for democratic governance and human rights. Comparable to RAU as both convene policy dialogues (Crisis Coalition events) and produce analysis on Zimbabwean political crises.
• Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Coalition of human rights NGOs in Zimbabwe documenting rights violations and advocating for accountability. Directly comparable as a domestic civil society organization focused on human rights monitoring and advocacy in Zimbabwe.
• Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU): Zimbabwean organization focused on increasing women's political participation and representation. Highly comparable to RAU's Women's Programme in its mission to advance gender equality in political processes.

Regional players

• Southern Africa Litigation Centre: Regional human rights and litigation organization serving Southern Africa. Comparable as a peer operating at a regional rather than single-country level on human rights advocacy and strategic research.
• Afrobarometer: Pan-African research network that conducts public attitude surveys on governance, democracy, and economic conditions. Comparable as a peer producing evidence-based research on governance across African countries, including Zimbabwe.
• Institute for Democracy and Leadership (IDASA): Southern African think tank focused on democratic governance, political participation, and constitutionalism. Comparable as a regional peer producing research and advocacy on democratic governance issues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rauzw
• Facebookfacebook.com/rauzw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Research and Advocacy Unit