Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter
Government remains committed to ending gender-based violence (GBV) in the country and has since come up with measures to tackle the vice, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Speaking at the national launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign at Mawabeni Primary School in Umzingwane District, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said there is need for collective action to combat GBV.
This year’s mational commemorations are being held under the theme “Towards 30 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: UNITE to End Violence Against Women and Girls.”
“Despite progress made over the past three decades, we continue to witness alarming rates of gender-based violence.
“The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey has shown that 42.5 percent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Government is establishing one-stop centres and safe shelters, as well as implementing women’s economic empowerment programmes to address GBV.
She commended the role of traditional and religious leaders in preventing and responding to GBV, and urged them to continue advocating for justice and support for survivors.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10 to raise awareness and mobilise action to end violence against women and girls.
Online Reporter