Chronicle EditorRobin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A one-stop centre with requisite services has been launched at Mpilo Central Hospital to allow for expeditious reporting of Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases and timeous treatment of survivors.
The centre houses a police Victim Friendly Unit office, a medical officer, legal officers and counselling services.
Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Dr Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday visited the site at the hospital to assess its development ahead of its opening mid-year.
She lamented the increasing number of GBV cases in Zimbabwe where it is estimated that one in three women are victims of GBV and highlighted the importance of such services.
“It is sad that GBV is increasing in the country, it did during (Covid-19) lockdown and is continuing to do so now.
So, this centre is where survivors of GBV can be attended to and this is the sixth one that we are launching in Zimbabwe.
“These structures have facilities like a medical doctor, police officers, counselling services and legal services so that a man or woman who has suffered GBV can be assisted,” said Dr Nyoni.
She said a play centre for children is also under construction in case mothers come with their children.
Dr Nyoni said the centres should not be the norm, urging families to live together amicably and solve the problems they have without harming each other.
“We are building them because it is a current necessity.
A lot of women are being victimised and they do not know where to go to report cases.
We have non-governmental organisations that deal with these issues but they are overburdened so, as a ministry that is responsible for families and gender issues, we thought we needed to build a facility in order to alleviate the problem,” she said.
The centre will be opened to those that are facing abuse in their homes and is also looking at having safe houses for the survivors that cannot go back and live with their abusers.
“Others will take time to heal, so when they get services that are also rehabilitated so that when they leave, they make choices to go back to those situations that perpetuate violence or to opt out.
We will put them in safe homes that we intend to have and they learn skills and start a new life.
“Women must be given a choice, women are living with abusive partners because they have no choice, so the safe house will be a good starting place for their empowerment,” she added.
Dr Nyoni said cultural norms were perpetuating violence where males were supposed to be feared saying there was a need to change those norms as they were tearing the moral fabric.
Mrs Lilian Matsika-Takaendesa the Chief Director in the Ministry of Women Affairs Gender and Community Development responsible for gender policy planning and programme management explained why the centre was built at a hospital.
“We are building it here because the first port of call when someone has been violated is a hospital to seek medical services.
So, we are relieving Mpilo of those survivors so that they come to the centre to seek further services at the one-stop centre.
This will enable the victim to have a comprehensive service delivered under one roof so that they do not have to travel to seek the various services but can do it at one place.
“We chose Mpilo because it is surrounded by many high-density suburbs where most of these cases of GBV are being reported.
So, we realised it is good to have a centre where the affected people can access it easier and central,” she added.
Mrs Matsika-Takaendesa said as a ministry they were also engaging men and boys who might be victims of GBV to get assistance at the one-stop centre as they were also potential victims of abuse.
She said their aim was to reunite families after incidences of GBV only if it was safe to do so but they partner with civic organisations with safe houses for the victims.
The one-stop centre is expected to be complete by the end of this month and then furnished and opened to the public.
Online Reporter