admin
Ruth Butaumocho Gender Editor
Yesterday marked the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence with the Government and the civil society calling for the adoption of a zero tolerance approach to violence in the homes and at community level. This year’s commemorations come at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with an increase in cases of rape and different forms of sexual violence of both women and men.
In Harare alone over 650 women and girls were raped in the last 10 months and of that figure 334 were adults with the remainder being children and juveniles.
This year alone the country witnessed an upsurge in cases of domestic violence, resulting in deaths of women and in some instances children.
By June this year 12 cases of murder were before the High Court, which according to the statistics from the Office of the Registrar of the High
Court is a 60 percent increase from last year’s, while an average of 200 murders, mainly emanating from domestic violence cases were currently being tried at the High Court, during the same time.
Speaking during a workshop for female parliamentarians on rape and sexual violence last week, the Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Cde Oppah Muchinguri said the Government would use existing legal instruments to curb incidences of all forms of violence against women.
In a statement to mark the 16 Days of Activism, the Women’s Coalition urged the nation to make use of the marked days in denouncing gender based violence at all levels.
“We note with alarm the increasing cases of gender based violence in the country. This was also confirmed by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development and Gender Links, in which indicators to a study noted that 68 percent of women in Zimbabwe have experienced some form of gender based violence.
“Women and girls are subjected to various forms of violence, such as physical violence, economic violence, rape, sexual harassment, harmful cultural and religious practices,” read the statement.
Sixteen Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is an annual awareness raising campaign observed globally to reaffirm the commitment to create a society that is safe and secure for women and children.
The purpose of this campaign is to address, assess, monitor, evaluate and promote interventions and programmes that seek to prevent and respond to the scourge of violence against women and children.
During this period that runs until December 10, the Government, the civic society and different organisations will run several programmes to raise awareness on issues of gender based violence.
Every year the United Nations declares the period from the 25 November, International Day for the Eradication of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day, as the 16 Days of No Violence against Women across the globe. This year’s event is running under the global theme: From peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women.
Online Reporter