WATCH: SpreadingGBV lessons through cheer

GROWING UP, Nokuthula Zikhali did not experience gender based violence directly but experienced it through the stories she learnt and incidents she heard about.

Zikhali who is a ZANU-PF proportional representation councilor in collaboration with Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), spread a great message and cheer after holding an educational conference for women in Nkulumane suburb.

The conference was held at Sokusile Hall, with 40 women in attendance.

Zikhali said GBV was a major concern and the message should not be spread in just a month

“In humanitarian settings, tailoring community engagement interventions for gender, language, and local culture improves communities and uptake with interventions. We cannot have this message being only heard once a year. This should be a priority and a message that is heard every single day,” said Zikhali.

She said everybody is a victim of GBV and interventions through healing sessions and “cry out loud” meetings are key to healing victims.

“When I think about the gender inequality or gender-based violence, truly, I want to cry out loud, and lighten the heaviness in my heart because I am part of the community where a mother after much pain delivers a child but with the first breath of the child raises the question – the baby is a boy or a girl? And if the baby is a girl, her family neglects her from the first day of her life.

“In the coming days, inequality reflects on her education, health, opportunity, decision-making, in every aspect of her life. Finally she gets peace or justice after the last breath she takes. Being a part of this community, I am also responsible for this situation. But I want change, and yes, I want to start from myself,” said Zikhali.

A rep from Wild Jacqueline Ndlovu said domestic or intimate partner violence which includes physical, sexual, or emotional abuse is the most common type of violence against women across the globe.

“One in five women between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced physical violence. And this violence escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation echoes the gravity of the problem worldwide. According to UN Women, an estimated 736 million women have been subjected at least once in their life to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both. Over 58 per cent of the 81,000 women and girls killed in 2020 died at the hands of an intimate partner or family member,” she said.

Ndlovu said communities are the first port of call when coming to interventions that bring lasting solutions when it comes to the prevention and reduction of GBV.

“Uniting and strengthening communities in this campaign will mean better opportunities for women and girls. Awareness and capacity in grassroots movements will mean less stigma when one stands up against gender stereotypes and speaks out in cases of Abuse. With the rise in GBV related murders there is a need to educate communities on how best they can reduce these offences using the referral pathway,” said Ndlovu.

She said the aim of the programmes is to educate participants on different forms of GBV, discuss the impact and challenge myths and misconceptions surrounding GBV.

“We need to empower women, provide them with strategies to identify and respond to early warning signs of GBV and also empower women to speak out. We also want to create a safe and supportive space for women to share their experiences and connect with others. Come up with a plan of action to address GBV at community level,” said Ndlovu. @petematika