admin
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
APOSTOLIC male church members have finally committed themselves to the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as evidenced by their recent active participation in the 16 Days of Activism against the scourge.
Apostolic churches have prior to their recent engagement and commitment viewed to be presenting a problem in the national fight against GBV especially in the area of child marriage and girl child rights protection and abuse of women.
Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust (AWET) accomplished its first male engagement during the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence starting in November last year.
The eight-day marathon oriented over 330 male apostolic delegates from eight different districts namely Bindura, Centenary, Makoni, Chipinge, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Umzingwane and Bulilima. All districts had an overwhelming response as more than 20 Apostolic males attended exceeding the targeted number of 10 for each district.
AWET administrator Ms Hope Dunira said the outreach programme was built on a vision to sensitise the Apostolic males through identifying champions of change in various communities.
“These champions of change will disseminate information and be peace makers, role models and protectors of the girl child in these communities. This will be done through social and economic activities with the objective being to end gender-based violence and child marriages in the apostolic communities,” she said.
Ms Dunira said the 330 male champions from eight districts were equipped with comprehensive knowledge on GBV and child marriage, including information on service and service providers. A community orientation manual was also produced.
The 16 Days of Activism against GBV is a call to action for everyone to address the issue of rape, child marriages, domestic violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) which are all forms of GBV.
There are many other socio-cultural, political and economic practices and cultures that have been (some still being) investigated and classified as GBV. Men, women and children are being encouraged to be aware of all these so that the fight to end GBV is an effective one.
The apostolic men said they wanted to lobby and advocate, for positive change within communities and Apostolic men from the various inter apostolic churches.
They came to the conclusion that the panacea to the issue of gender-based violence lay in dealing with the issue of poverty, lack of education, ignorance, and women being submissive to their husbands.
Poverty was identified as the major driver of gender-based violence in all the eight districts hence AWET asked different marginalised and vulnerable groups to come together and identify solutions to address ending gender-based violence and child marriage through livelihood projects such as goat rearing and poultry especially road runners.
As a solution to end gender-based violence and child marriage within the apostolic churches, delegates reached a consensus of having livelihood projects that will enable them to invest in their children’s education to the highest level. Moreover, they agreed to take a progressive action of engaging and mobilising different Apostolic churches and communities into dialogue.
The AWET team said they are inviting the world to join the apostolic movement in saying No to Child Marriage and GBV. AWET encourages all men to be the protectors of the girl child and women and not to be perpetrators.
AWET is a Non-Governmental Organisation which seeks to empower women and adolescent girls from the apostolic churches to participate in social and economic developmental processes that affect them as well as advance their rights and those of others.
Online Reporter