Chronicle Reporters
REPORTED cases of domestic violence in Matabeleland South have sharply increased to 1 087 from 194 in 2008, the Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Dr Olivia Muchena has said.
According to the Ministry, the national statistical cases of domestic violence have increased by more than 500 percent to nearly 11 000 cases from 2008 to 2012.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Dr Sylvia Utete Masango, during the provincial celebrations of the International Women’s Day Celebrations on Thursday in Bulilima, Minister Muchena said women and girls comprised 99 percent of the victims in gender based violence cases.
This year Women’s Day commemorations are being held nationally under the theme “Peace Begins with Me: Peace Begins with You: Peace Begins with all of Us: Act Now to End Violence against Women and Girls.
“In Zimbabwe women and girls continue to be the victims in 99 percent of gender based violence cases. These cases occur within the home facility setting as well as in institutions such as educational institutions, work places and the public arena,” she said.
Minister Muchena attributed the increase in reported cases of domestic violence to the increase in community based programmes that sought to popularise the Domestic Violence Act of 2007.
“We have programmes that seek to popularise the Domestic Violence Act such as the 4Ps Campaign which operationalises the 365 days of activism against gender based violence.
“The programme is a community based programme that focuses on raising awareness on domestic violence and it has reached out to a total of 10 813 females and 4 666 males in the 164 wards of Matabeleland South province which proves that communities are now well informed and people know what to do when they encounter gender based violence,” she said.
Minister Muchena also said the violence, which was commonly perpetrated against women, was a universal phenomenon that was impeding development in countries.
“Globally, gender based violence is a pandemic that strikes the lives of millions of women, fractures families and communities. It also impedes development costing countries billions of dollars each year which are lost through health care costs, lost productivity and provision of facilities for protection of victims and survivors of gender based violence,” she said.
Minister Muchena also expressed concern as few men were utilising the Domestic Violence Act as they still viewed it as a law that protected women.
“The Domestic Violence Act is still viewed by some, especially men, as a law to protect women but it is a law that seeks to protect women and men, boys and girls within the home.
“What is most disturbing is that very young girls and even babies are victims. Even men are also becoming victims but they suffer in silence to protect their masculinity,” she said.
Minister Muchena said this year’s theme was selected owing to its applicability to different natural processes in the country which promoted the practice of peace and unity.
“We chose this year’s theme because it is applicable to the national processes such as the Ministry’s ongoing programmes on Gender Based Violence, the work of Jomic and the Organ of National Healing Reconciliation and Integration.
“It is also applicable to the recently held referendum on the draft constitution and upcoming harmonised elections which require us as a nation to uphold the values and practice of peace and unity,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo also held Women’s Day commemorations at the Bulawayo Polytechnic School of Hospitality yesterday.
Speaking during the event Dr Masango said women had a huge responsibility of reducing gender based violence.
“We are the same people who give birth and contribute immensely in the upbringing of the same men we are castigating of violence today. It is up to us as mothers that we ensure that we contribute positively towards the good upbringing of our children to stop violence,” said Dr Masango.
She said men were overwhelming perpetrators of violence but the positive role of organisations such as Padare/Enkundleni could not be underestimated.
“Padare has had positive outcomes in promoting non violence among men and boys within communities. Women who beat their husbands must also be stopped so that the perpetration of violence is put to an end,” she said.
Dr Masango said women economic empowerment was the key into reducing gender based violence.
“Gender based violence can be reduced if women can be empowered economically as they can be able to sustain themselves that is why it is essential that every woman benefits from the women development revolving fund,” she said.
Dr Masango said $1 million has been distributed among women in the 10 provinces through POSB last year and to date Matabeleland South has been able to return the funds.
“Everyone who benefited from the revolving fund must bring back the money so that everyone benefits. Districts that do not bring back the money will not get funding from the Ministry until they pay back what was disbursed to them,” she said.
The International Women’s Day was set aside in 1975 by the United Nations to be recognised by all nations as a day of realising the important role played by women in society and development programmes.
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