adminFairness Moyana Sunday News Correspondent
WOMEN’S Action Group (WAG) has embarked on advocacy training on gender-based violence targeting Apostolic and Zionist sects, in a move meant to involve the church in reducing cases which often go unreported. In an interview, WAG programmes officer Mrs Maria Chiwera said her organisation was targeting churches, particularly the indigenous ones as they had been sidelined from Government intervention programmes.
“These advocacy and awareness meetings are part of efforts to reach out to members of the Vapostori and amaZioni who are either sidelined from programmes or shun mixing with everyone else because of their beliefs; so we thought of grouping them as sects. These series of meetings are meant to facilitate discussions around issues of sexual abuse that result in violence erupting in the home with the goal of ensuring the reduction of gender-based violence cases in the church,” said Mrs Chiwera.
She said it was difficult to draw accurate statistics on gender-based violence in the church as most cases went unreported with some leaders covering up the crimes for fear of tarnishing the image of the church.
“It’s difficult to know statistically cases of gender-based violence in the church, chiefly because they are not reported with women fearing discrimination and victimisation for wanting to put the church’s reputation at risk. In some instances we have leaders or members covering up abuses which would have been committed by some of them,” she said.
Participants of various meetings held in Lupane and Hwange in Matabeleland North province cited forced sexual abuse, early marriages, family planning and economic abuse as driving factors of gender-based violence among congregants in the church.
“Sexual abuse is rife within our churches particularly against women, sometimes in the form of marital rape but we do not report such cases for fear of further violence,” said Sikhanyisiwe Ncube of Zion Matetsi in Hwange district.
Another Johane Masowe Chishanu congregant from Lupane, Molly Ndlovu, said some prophets in the church were taking many wives particularly young brides which resulted in domestic violence.
Hwange district development officer Mr Innocent Ncube said the meetings which covered five wards in his area were positively impacting communities as it created awareness on domestic violence and referral pathways.
“It was an eye opening awareness week where we interacted with congregants who opened up on the ills associated with domestic violence and why they don’t report the cases.
“We are happy that they acknowledged the existence of gender-based violence in their churches hence it became easier to engage them on measures to address the various issues among them early marriages, sexual and economic abuse,” said Ncube.
He added that awareness workshops which were part of Government’s efforts were conducted in Lupane, Hwange, Gwanda and Beitbridge.
WAG is working in partnership with Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development under the Integrated Support Programme running in 126 districts countrywide.
Online Reporter