Headman Chisvo calls for peace beyond 16 days of activism

to hundreds of women who took part in a 4km march to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence at Gweshe Business Centre in Chiweshe, Headman Chiveso, said there was nothing cultural about abusing women.
“There is nothing cultural about beating up women, or about women beating up men.
“Even back in our young days, wife-beating was a practice frowned upon,” he said.
“Violence is not good. Please stop it. I hope in this community we can go beyond the 16 days,” he said.
The march was attended by women from Bindura urban, Trojan mining community, Foothills farming community near Mazowe and the Negomo area of Chiweshe.
Speaking at the same occasion, the councillor for Ward 12 in Mazowe rural district Council, Mr Tawanda Mbisva, said the march was important as it raised awareness among the community of the dangers of domestic violence.
“Some men are not reasonable and if women are trained and given full support, it is easier for everyone to identify and deal with perpetrators.
“Some of them just need to be made aware of the error of their ways and they might be acting out of ignorance, while others might need the law to take its course,” he said.
The march was organised by the Bindura-based Institute for Young Women Development. The director of the organisation, Mr Glanis Changachirere, said it was high time that everyone took notice of gender-based violence and acted on it.
“If we all come together, we can stop this gender-based violence.
“Empowered women and empowered men, make a strong combination. Our motto for this particular march is ‘If we unite we can do it’ and that is our message to all people in this community and elsewhere,” she said.
A participant, Onai Chitakunye from Trojan Mine, said violence against women took many forms, but each of them was just as bad as the next needed to be stopped.
“Rape, deprivation of inheritance, beating, economic abuse all leave lasting scars and can even lead to death.
“We are saying we are all strong enough to put an end to this,” she said.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence are commemorated annually between 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) and 10 December (International Human Rights Day).