16 Days of Activism Against GBV a success

Fatima Bulla-Musakwa

THE annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign ended on December 10, with various stakeholders concluding that this year’s edition was effective in spreading awareness on GBV.

This year’s commemorations, under the theme: ‘End Violence Against Women and Girls Now, No to Child Marriages’, were held against a background of soaring cases of GBV that were exacerbated by Covid-19 lockdowns.

An unprecedented number of events were held to raise awareness against the scourge.

The Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and the European Union (EU) led from the front after commissioning a state-of-art Safe Market and One Stop Centre for survivors of GBV in Epworth.

The market will ensure that women working in the informal sector have a safe working environment, while the One-Stop- Centre will provide survivors of GBV with access to services such as medical care and psychosocial and legal support under one roof.

In addition, the Parliament of Zimbabwe was lit up in orange on November 25, to mark the beginning of the commemorations.

This was in line with the 16 Days’ 2021 global theme: ‘Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!’

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) also received state-of-the-art deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis equipment from the EU, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), under the Spotlight Initiative, to help fight all forms of violence against women and girls.

Awareness workshops were also held.

The Girls Table director Ms Samkeliso Tshuma, said one of the campaign’s objectives, which was to raise awareness on the systematic nature of violence against women, had been realised.

“Eliminating GBV starts with us adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle the root causes and eliminate harmful social norms and practices,” said Ms Tshuma.

“Our Government should do more, for example to have a budget line that focuses on tackling gender-based violence, show serious commitment towards achieving gender equality, and have programmes that capacitate institutions such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police, which handles these cases to be gender sensitive.

“Also all our efforts need to be victim or survivor centred. Can we also see financing of women’s rights organisations that are in the grassroots working relentlessly to end gender-based violence.”

Self Help Development Fund executive director Ms Wadzanai Vere, said the involvement of State and non-state actors, the business community and the media during this year’s commemorations ensured success of the campaign.

Last month, two women were raped at a maternity waiting home at Maphisa District Hospital in Matabeleland South. Three other expecting mothers were targeted by rapists at the same institution in July.

Musasa Project director, Mrs Vimbai Mutendereki said:

“There still remains much to be done for us as a country, particularly around strengthening the legal and policy framework in a way that protects women and girls from violence.

Authorities are currently considering introducing a law that imposes mandatory prison sentences for perpetrators of rape, while sexual harassment will soon become a criminal offence.

Work has also begun on the Sexual Harassment Bill and the Gender Equality Bill, which will make sexual harassment a criminal offence and provide frameworks for gender equality. Sexual harassment is presently considered a civil infraction.

It is defined as a sex-based behaviour that is unwelcome and offensive to its recipient.

Shamwari yeMwanasikana programmes coordinator, Ms Florence Mutake said:

“Just like any other campaign it also has its gaps, which require attention in order to eliminate GBV in the future.

“These gaps include improved in-country commitments to resource GBV programmes, in particular those that advance prevention of GBV. “With increased budget resourcing, as well as full implementation of GBV policies across all sectors and levels from community, we foresee Zimbabwe becoming one of the regionally and internationally recognised best model countries, along the likes of Kenya in GBV elimination.”