Recover Better: Stand Up for Human Rights

This year’s Human Rights Day comes at a peculiar time when the entire world is grappling with the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

One important lesson that has been learnt during this time is that human rights are central to the world’s recovery, that without adequate protections for citizens there will be no sustainable development.

The earlier days of the pandemic created a misconception that Covid-19 had evened out the playing field, attacking both the rich and the poor alike, affecting leaders and ordinary people, creating an equal risk for all citizens.

As the days and months progressed it became evident that the pre-existing factors such as poverty, gender inequality, structural and systematic discrimination and many other gaps in the human rights protections stand to fuel the dire consequences of a pandemic.

The increased number of reports of domestic and sexual violence since Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic are proof that all other human rights imbalances worsen the state of affairs during a pandemic such as Covid-19 and natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai.

The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small & Medium Enterprise, Development in partnership with development partners has established One Stop Centres around the country to be avenues for emergency gender-based violence services.

These centres situated in public hospitals centralise gender-based violence response services to guard against barriers to access to justice such as lack of transportation to travel to and from the different service providers.

It creates a comprehensive response mechanism where the survivor will be able to access all the necessary facilities in one place. At the One Stop Centres will be:

1. A medical practitioner, usually a nurse who will provide emergency medical services for the survivor. In many circumstances, failure to access medical support after experiencing gender-based violence has dire consequences. In the event of sexual violence such as rape, survivors need to get post exposure prophylaxis to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and the emergency contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy. These require to be administered within 72 hours to be most effective.
2. Psychosocial support is another service available given the traumatic impact of violence and abuse. A counsellor or social worker will be available to provide this support and therapy.
3. Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Victim Friendly Unit officers are stationed at the centres to investigate the complaints and to gather necessary evidence and documentation for prosecution in the event of criminal complaints. The rooms they operate from guarantee the privacy required in receiving complaints of gender-based violence.
4. A lawyer is also made available to provide free legal advice and legal assistance for survivors of gender-based violence. Currently Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association is found in eight (8) One Stop Centres across the country particularly in Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Gwanda, Chinhoyi, Rusape, Chimanimani and Mutare. The continued establishment of the centres all across the country directly tallies with the theme of this 16 days of activism which calls for the funding, response and prevention of gender based through proactive and collaborative efforts. It also allows for the collection of useful information on the functions of the gender in society and the areas where change needs to be made.

Protection of human rights requires a multi-pronged response and strategy which therefore calls for the government to

1. Continue to set up One Stop Centres in vulnerable communities such as rural and remote areas.
2. Establish safe shelters for survivors of gender-based violence.
3. It is important to have structures available to respond to the various forms of gender-based violence, including the creation of laws and policy that foster peace, equity, inclusion, and accountability.
4. Robust awareness raising campaigns on the importance of gender balance in all aspects of society, at home, in the workplace and in public spaces and a universal intolerance to all forms of violence.
5. The alignment of outstanding laws which are discriminatory to women and the formation of progressive laws and policies which promote gender equity. As it stands The Marriages Bill, Guardianship of Minors Act and Criminal Code are yet to be amended while the former is yet to be enacted.

For as long as human rights are not central to any recovery and preventative strategies, the consequences of Covid-19 will continue to be felt beyond the medical risks.