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Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
LEGAL experts have implored the Government to channel more resources towards the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) by allocating adequate funds to institutions and departments dealing with the scourge.
The country, like the rest of the world, is marking 16 days of Activism Against GBV to raise awareness against the scourge which is affecting mostly women and the girl child.
This year’s commemorations which started on November 25 and ended on Saturday were running under the theme: “Unite! Activism to end Violence against Women and Girls”.
Speaking during an event organised by Emthonjeni Women’s Forum to mark the day last week, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights project officer Ms Prisca Dube said funding is key in the fight against GBV and child marriages.
“More money should be allocated to the Ministry of Women Affairs, police and the Department of Social Welfare including the courts because these are institutions involved in the fight against GBV and child marriages,” she said.
“These must receive a huge chunk for them to be effective in their duties in the fight against GBV. They have lots of responsibilities like providing shelter for abused women, dealing with GBV crimes and paying school fees for underprivileged children so that they stay longer in school so that marriage does not become an option,” she said.
Ms Dube said there is also a need for communities to adhere to the laws that have been passed by the Government to fight GBV and child marriages.
She said Government ministries and departments should adopt international best practices to fight GBV both in rural and urban areas.
“The issue of child marriage is a cancer that we must deal with ruthlessly and families must stop the habit of protecting abusers by hiding such cases and dealing with them at the family level. Child marriages are a violation of children’s rights and this resulted in women’s civic society organisations working with the Government to pass the new Marriages Act,” said Ms Dube.
“It is a crime for families to sit and discuss lobola for children below 18 years.”
Speaking at the same event, National Association of Non-Government Organisations (NANGOs) regional co-ordinator Ms Esnath Chambiwa said there is a need for the informal justice system under the customary law to include women as they are more patriarchal in nature.
“Most of our population resides in rural areas and they prefer to use the informal justice system as it is less costly and creates a good environment for them due to the language used among others compared to formal justice systems. It is therefore, important for women to be represented at these courts because men dominate their composition and have a bias against women,” she said.
“Women must be involved at the highest level when cases of GBV are dealt with in these courts.”
Ms Chambiwa said there is a need for the laws dealing with the traditional courts to be aligned with the country’s Constitution as it has positive provisions for women’s equality and empowerment.
The commemorations were attended by women from Insiza, Umzingwane and Bulawayo peri-urban under the Emthonjeni Women’s Forum in the fight against GBV. – @themkhust
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