Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande in HONDE VALLEY
THE anti-child marriages drive dubbed NotInMyVillage campaign has reached community level in Manicaland, with traditional leaders around Mutasa District engaging in a no-holds barred indaba at Hauna Business Centre in Honde Valley where they learnt of the dos and don’ts in the respective community leadership positions.
The week-long workshop, which started yesterday, will see 17 headmen and 248 village heads from different parts of Mutasa District being educated on what is expected of them in the fight against child marriages and all forms of child abuse.
Speaking during the workshop, resource person, Chief Mutasa said: “The problem that we now have is that we have village heads who do not know the purview and parameters of their duties. A village head is not there to charge people for the services that he renders.
“You are only given a token of appreciation because you do not have a court. Courts start at headman level, the primary court then chief, community court and above.
“When we understand this, we will then have village heads who will help shun the abuse of children and help in the fight against child marriages. We will not have village heads who facilitate the marriage of children, but be in the forefront of reporting such cases.”
The comprehensive HIV intervention programme, which is being implemented under the auspices of Young People’s Network for Health and Wellness in partnership with the National Aids Council, is targeting traditional as well as other community leaders in the fight against all forms of sexual abuse of adolescent girls and young women.
The NotInMyVillage Campaign was recently launched in Manicaland Province where the pilot implementation is now being executed in Mutare and Chipinge districts.
The campaign, however, will be rolled out in all the districts of the province.
Online Reporter