‘Gender-based violence overshadows economic growth’ | The Herald

Tendai Rupapa in BINDURA

The negative impact of gender-based violence (GBV) continues to overshadow efforts made to promote gender equality and the country’s economic development, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in Bindura said yesterday when commissioning the Bindura Single Center for survivors of violence from gender in Provincial Hospital of Bindura.

The First Lady is the country’s health ambassador and has visited many parts of the country speaking out against gender-based violence, which was exacerbated during the national shutdown to combat Covid-19.

Yesterday, the First Lady unveiled a plaque to commission the center and during a tour the processes by which the survivors are taken were shown.

The 16 days, the First Lady said, provided an opportunity for stakeholders to step up their efforts against the scourge.

She expressed concern about the increasing cases of gender-based violence that she described as gruesome and gruesome.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa speaks with a legal services officer during the official launch of the Bindura Single Center as Minister Sithembiso Nyoni observes the Bindura Hospital yesterday.

The 2019 multi-cluster indicator survey, she said, reported that 49 percent of women and girls ages 15 to 49 have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence at some point.

“Also, every day we continue to read about horrific incidents of gender-based violence with an increase in dire cases. We wonder what will become of us.

“The prevailing Covid-19 pandemic has had dire consequences, as we have witnessed an increase in incidents of gender-based violence. The negative impact of gender violence continues to downplay the efforts made to promote gender equality and the development of our country ”.

Amai Mnangagwa said that prevention of gender-based violence was the fundamental element to effectively address the challenge.

“Preventing is better than responding, and over the years this has proven to be very cost-effective compared to managing GBV once it has already occurred. Prevention initiatives must be given a high priority if we are to win this battle. “

Programs around male participation, the First Lady said, should be expanded to promote positive masculinities by also involving men as partners to end violence against women and girls.

“The collection, analysis and dissemination of timely data on GBV can never be underestimated. In order for us to respond adequately, we need to know the magnitude of the problem, ”he said.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Minister for Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Business Development Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, President of the Senate Mable Chinomona and Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Monica Mavhunga listens to the Provincial Inspector of Mines and Explosives Mr. Edmore Mutenje on the rescue efforts underway in Bindura yesterday

The government remained committed to addressing all forms of gender-based violence, as demonstrated by the Constitution, which provides protection and freedom from all forms of violence from public and private sources.

She urged all Zimbabweans to join the campaign to create zero tolerance for all forms of gender-based violence before making a passionate plea to men to end violence against their spouses.

“As a mother, I tell you parents, the woman you live with at home is the one who said I love you, when she comes to your house you hit her every day, what happens today and where did the love that was there at the beginning go? Please, parents do not hit us so that our future and that of our children is clear, “he said.

The First Lady, as Patron of the Ángel de la Esperanza Foundation, donated a ton of corn flour and other foods to the hospital for the benefit of all patients. The elderly and people with disabilities also received a variety of groceries from the First Lady.

Provincial Medical Director Dr. Clemence Tshuma thanked the First Lady for the food, which she said would be of great help to patients, including pregnant women.

On gender-based violence, Dr. Tshuma said that survivor-friendly units had been established in the 12 hospitals in the province.

“The 140 CCRs have been trained to provide the minimum package before survivors are referred to the next level. The minimum package includes tests for HIV, STIs, Hepatitis B, and pregnancy. After testing, survivors receive post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, STIs, hepatitis B, and pregnancy for those who are negative. For those who are positive, they are referred to the appropriate department to continue care, ”he said.

He said that before the settlement, health personnel used to refer survivors from across the city to different stakeholders and some of them got lost along the way.

The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe, recognized the “tremendous work our First Lady is doing to unite communities and amplify the voices of marginalized women.”

The One-Stop-Center was in keeping with this year’s theme as it showed that the Government was responding to gender-based violence by funding such centers to protect victims.

“We all agree that gender violence and spousal gender violence are the most widespread forms of violence and human rights violations in our communities. They permeate the socio-cultural, political and economic sphere of our lives and manifest themselves in many forms including rape, forced marriages, including so-called child marriages, sexual harassment, name calling, body shaming, and virginity testing and HIV myths, among others. others.”

Sithembiso Nyoni, Minister of Development for Women’s Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises, said that gender-based violence constitutes a serious violation of human rights and has been used largely as a weapon against the emancipation of women, the empowerment of women and the participation of women in all sectors.

“This year’s national commemorations will also see the official commissioning of the Bindura one-stop-shop for survivors of gender-based violence. The Bindura One Stop Center brings to five the number of unique centers run by the Government.

“Various GBV stakeholders are also doing a lot to complement the government in establishing a one-stop center for GBV survivors in Zimbabwe,” she said.

In a speech read on his behalf by Ms Bianca Makwande, Deputy Chief Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi said that he was happy to lead the coordination and management of that initiative.

Mutevedzi presides over the victim-friendly national system.

“Let me affirm from the outset that my responsibilities as the chief magistrate’s office put that office in a suitable position to lead the national victim-friendly system in the country. As a result, the office celebrated when the Government of Zimbabwe bestowed the honor on the Chief Magistrate’s Office to lead the coordination and management of that initiative. The committee is made up of stakeholders from all critical sectors of the economy.

“Since its formation in 1997, the National Committee for Victims has never looked back.

“It has consistently collaborated with all other stakeholders to ensure quality services are delivered to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across the country,” he said.

Mashonaland Central State Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Monica Mavhunga, said she wished there would be 365 days of activism against gender-based violence to ensure the safety of women and girls.

“Sadly, this year’s commemorations come in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted normal activities.”

Senate President Mabel Chinomona and Vice Minister for Community Development, Small and Medium Businesses, Jennifer Mhlanga, were among the dignitaries who attended the event.