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Gender Reporter
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Bulawayo, Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo has called upon couples facing marital problems to look to culture to resolve their differences instead of divorcing.
Speaking at a family building workshop organised jointly by her office and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development at a local hotel on Tuesday, she said it was only through upholding of cultural values that families could be protected from disintegration.
“In the olden days families stayed together because when you marry, you would not marry for yourself, but for the whole clan. As such, most of the time when a man tries to send his wife away the whole family will be up against it. They would even ask him to leave instead. As a result children grew up among their own people and were protected,” Cde Moyo said at the workshop that was attended by many couples.
The Minister said Zimbabweans should stop adopting foreign cultures, which have eroded the moral fabric of the nation hence an increase in divorces and domestic violence cases.
“Everyday your wife cries, your children prefer to be at your neighbours’ instead of your home. Why do want to make your home a circus?” he said.
She said the best way to show young boys how to respect women and have successful marriages in future is for men to demonstrate love towards their mothers.
Children often set their standards for partners and relationships based on how their parents interacted and behaved. She also urged men to support their wives’ political ambitions because when in government they improve not only their family lives, but also advocate for equitable distribution of community resources.
A number of studies from both industrialised and developing countries show that having more women participation at both local and national government tends to advance social issues. Gender sensitive programmes related to health nutrition and education are improved as well.
Online Reporter