Minister declares war on gender based violence

Daisy Jeremani Gender Editor
An inter-ministerial plan of action to combat gender-based violence (GBV) and rape will be put together soon in a move to show how serious the government is in fighting the social ills.
Speaking in an interview at the ministry’s stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) on Thursday, Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister, Cde Oppah Muchinguri, said the government had declared war on rape and GBV.

She said the plan of action was being put together by Cabinet showing that there was political will in coming up with solutions to this problem.
“Look how the people of Zimbabwe took heed when the political leaders led by the President called on them to desist from violence. So we want to take a similar stance on these social ills which have torn families apart,” she said.

The Minister said through this plan of action, Cabinet will push for a mandatory jail sentence on those convicted of GBV.
“We are looking at 30 years and above for perpetrators. The discrepancies in sentencing are questionable. People are sent to jail for petty crimes, while a man is given 300 hours of community service for raping his five-year-old daughter. I don’t know how this sentence is arrived at,” the Minister said.

She also called on traditional leaders who are the custodians of the nation’s values to stand up and join the fight.
“Chiefs, there is an invasion of your culture, stand up! There is serious moral decadence and people have thrown their values into the dust bin,” she said.
Despite the amount of awareness on GBV and rape there seems to be an increase in cases, she said.

Plans were also underway to set up a research team that would interrogate why the upsurge in figures when the government and civil society were doing all they can to conscientise communities to desist from GBV.

“We are even exporting our violence to other countries. We are exporting it to Namibia, United Kingdom and United States. That’s embarrassing!” she said.
There have been a number of crimes of passion involving Zimbabweans regionally and overseas.

The country, said the Minister, was recording 100 rape cases a month, which she said was alarming.