Online Reporter
Ashley Phiri, [email protected]
MEN in Bulawayo are calling for increased engagement through gender mainstreaming workshops, following an eye-opening training session organised by the Emthonjeni Women’s Forum last week.
The workshop, aimed at raising awareness around gender-based violence (GBV) and gender equality, brought together men from various sectors, including senior management, and offered them a safe platform to reflect, learn, and engage as allies in tackling gender issues.
Emthonjeni Women’s Forum Programmes Manager, Ms Plaxedes Moyo, said the initiative sought to foster shared responsibility between men and women in addressing workplace inequality and violence.
“We thought it best to engage men as allies in this fight because often, they are unaware that their actions may contribute to GBV and harassment. Our goal is to create equal spaces where both women and men have the same opportunities,” she said.
Participants described the session as transformative. Mr Prosper Masibi from the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) said he left the workshop with a new understanding of gender dynamics.
“From this training, I realised that GBV isn’t solely physical — it can be emotional and financial as well. Discussing these issues in a safe space with other men was incredibly valuable, and I look forward to more of these men’s conferences where we can explore gender issues openly,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Mr Selwin Kwembeya from the Zimbabwe Catering and Hotel Industry, who urged more organisations to facilitate similar workshops.
“When most men hear ‘gender,’ they think it’s a women’s programme. This training helped us understand that we can and should be involved. Having a safe space to talk as men made a significant difference. I would like to encourage more organisations to take up this initiative,” he said.
Workshop facilitator, Mr Sibusiso Bhebhe, emphasised the importance of creating such inclusive platforms. He noted that while the session was successful, much remains to be done to address widespread misconceptions.
“Participants made it clear that more sessions are needed. Many men still view gender issues as solely women’s concerns and feel the law is biased against them, which is a misconception,” he said.
The Emthonjeni Women’s Forum plans to roll out further gender sensitisation training in the coming months, responding to growing demand and the need to break harmful stereotypes.
