adminWOMEN’S rights organisations and gender activists have thrown their weight behind Government’s proposal to introduce a law compelling churches and religious organisations to register before operating in the country. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Melusi Matshiya, last week told the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Gender and Development of the proposed regulation of church activities.
The proposal, which comes on the back of an upsurge in human rights abuses orchestrated by church leaders, was also backed by Registrar General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede, who was also giving oral evidence before the parliamentary committee on Tuesday last week.
Legal experts have also weighed in, highlighting that the new constitution had provisions that empower Government to regulate churches, in the interest of protecting its citizens.
Womens’ organisations and gender activists who spoke to Sunday News on Friday last week embraced the suggested registration and regulation of churches saying such a development would help bring sanity in places of worship.
Musasa Project director, Ms Netty Musanhi, said it was important for Government and its arms to monitor and regulate church activities in the interest of protecting citizens from abusive church leaders.
Ms Musanhi took a swipe at the new crop of churches that is emerging, saying such churches had proved to be the hub of human rights abuse, particularly of women.
“If NGOs are required to register and have their activities regulated at law, why should churches be an exception. I feel the proposal is a welcome move; one in the right direction in so far as protecting citizens, especially against women abuse.
“There are these new churches that are being formed everyday, some of them are fly-by-night, yet they attract huge numbers of people. There is a need for Government to know what is going on in those churches, in particular because of the high number of cases of abuse of women in places of worship.
“As women we strongly support the introduction of such a law which would require churches to register and allow Government to monitor activities,” she said.
Gender activist Ms Buhle Benkosi Moyo also welcomed the proposal but questioned Government’s capacity to implement the law if it is passed, considering the number of churches that are dotted around the country.
Ms Moyo added that some women consent to abuse by religious leaders, a situation she said would make it difficult for regulation of churches to be enforced as a lot of cases would go unreported.
“It’s a welcome development and obviously most women would embrace such a law. In principle it sounds a great idea but the problem is on the implementation of the law. Religion is a very sensitive issue and in most cases women consent to abuse by their religious leaders.
“I think what is needed more is Government intervention at a level of educating women on their rights. Personally I doubt if Government would have enough personnel to monitor and regulate churches,” argued Ms Moyo.
Her sentiments were echoed by chairperson of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Ms Virginia Muwanigwa, who said: “I do believe that as a society, we need to transform our gender and social relations so that women and girls do not find themselves exposed to any abuse, in the home or in public and focus on preventive measures rather than reactive.
“We can be reacting to symptoms of the root problem of unequal gender and power relations, but that only serves to transfer the abuse to other arenas.What needs to be done therefore is to deconstruct the notion that any person, is not worthy, only because they are female. Equality of access to opportunities and treatment, where relevant, is what should be prioritised.”
Bulawayo-based lawyer Mr Jonathan Tsvangirai said regulation of churches would be a welcome move, adding that the new Constitution had provisions that allow Government to regulate church actvities and limit the right to religion.
“Section 58 of the new Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and assembly, which means that people have the right to worship. However, that right can be limited for purposes of safeguarding public safety, in the interest of national defence, public morality and public health. That is contained in Section 86.2b of the Constitution.
“Now if people are raped in churches, public safety and morality would be compromised and Government has a basis to intervene in such a case. If people worship at a place where there are no proper sanitary facilities such as toilets, public health would be compromised and there is justification for Government to intervene and regulate,” he said.
“Our Constitution is alive to that aspect of regulation of churches. However, the challenge that might arise would be enforcement of such a law if it is passed. It might result in over criminalisation and increase the workload on our already burdened justice system.”
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) on Thursday welcomed the proposed establishment of a law that would force religious bodies to register.
However, the rights lobby group quickly shifted goalposts hours later and apologised for its initial stance, stating that: “As a human rights group, we believe that the practice of religious freedoms should be free of any intrusion by the State.”
Latest statistics indicate that about 500 women were sexually abused monthly in the first three months of the year, translating to about 16 women being raped daily or one woman being raped every 90 minutes.
Online Reporter