The ManicaPost
Daphne Machiri
In a world we all desire gender based violence would be unimaginable.
The 2030 Agenda calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, hence ending GBV will be a major breakthrough in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Domestic violence remains a global menace, it is a prevalent reality in many societies and it occurs among all demographic groups.
While perpetrators and victims of domestic violence can be either male or female, the majority of cases have a male perpetrator and a female victim.
Around the world, GBV therefore has a greater negative impact on women and girls. For this reason, the term gender based violence is often used interchangeably with the term violence against women.
The violence can be physical, emotional and sexual, etcetera. Sexual violence against women and girls in conflict situations is increasingly understood to be a weapon of war. Women and girls also face harmful traditional practices such as genital mutilation. They are also victims of human trafficking across the world.
GBV is a violation of basic human rights. It prevents victims from exercising their social, economic and political rights.
The patterns and persistence of GBV are inter-woven into social norms and power relations. GBV leaves deep scars of psycho-social trauma, community cohesion, stigmatisation of survivors, and retardation of development.
As the world continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, a sharp rise in GBV cases, especially violence against women and girls, has been recorded worldwide.
Victims of GBV can suffer from low esteem and the belief that the situation cannot be changed for the better.
Successfully addressing the causes and consequences of this violence will be crucial in the attainment of the 2030 agenda.
Ending violence against women, girls, boys and men will see everyone playing a role in positively shape the world.
The involvement of men and boys in ending GBV promises to yield better results. Men and boys should take it upon themselves to be advocates against GBV. They can be the core pillar of transformation of possible abusers.
Gender-equitable men in the community, workplaces, schools and other public places should become role models and champions of change. Organisations that advocates for women’s rights need to find ingenious ways to engross these men to foster normative revolution and challenge the collective habit of discounting women.
This will intensify progress in the attainment of other SDGs such as access to health services, economic empowerment and productivity and access to education, among others.
Community engagement is crucial in preventing and responding to all forms of GBV.
There is also need for increased collaboration between the police and organisations that advocate for gender equality. When it comes to avoiding issues of stereotyping amongst law enforcers, there is need for training on GBV.
But while GBV has largely been understood as violence against women, men are also victims. However, gender norms as well as cultural and religious taboos make it very difficult for men to reveal it when they are abused in any way.
Most communities are largely reluctant to acknowledge the experience of male survivors because it may be seen, among other things, as conceding weakness and bringing shame to the community.
Sadly, the failure to discuss sexual violence against men and boys can result in some survivors resorting to negative coping mechanisms, including violence and drug abuse, which can have a lasting and damaging impact on their family and the broader community.
This has seen organisations such as Varume Svinurai, Padare and Men International, among others, coming up to support men on such issues. Indeed, Zimbabwe has already made a lot of progress in this regard. However, more can still be done to protect male victims of GBV.
Mr Osman Mabaya, director of Man International, said as a man, he is extremely influential in changing the behaviour of other men and young boys. He said there is no doubt that one day society will realise that girls and boys, men and women, are equal.
He said due to economic challenges, both men and women are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse in return for shelter and food.
“Men are also at risk of rape or demands for sexual favours. Empowering women and men will pave way for equality.
“This can only be done through continued education in an endeavour to create peaceful homes, communities and public places,” said Mr Mabaya.
Shamwari Yemwanasika has been promoting male involvement in the GBV fight. The organisation’s director, Ms Ekenia Chifamba, said male support is critical in ending GBV.
“The lobby is creating awareness that men, in partnership with women, can play a significant role in ending GBV,” she said.
So far, the Government has made progress in addressing GBV through legislative responses, as well as measuring the incidence and costs of GBV.
The Domestic Violence Act Chapter was enacted to address GBV. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission is also currently lobbying for the adoption of the Gender Equality Act and the enactment of the Sexual Harassment Act.
Awareness campaigns are also being conducted through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development in partnership with other empowerment organisations.
The zeal has resulted in the launch of the National Gender-Based Violence Strategy, which is a commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe to eradicate GBV and promote gender equality.
The national gender and HIV implementation plan (2017-2020) seeks to engage existing and identifying additional key stakeholders in promoting gender equality. These include religious and traditional leaders, among many others.
Zimbabwe ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1991, the Protocol to
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2007) and the Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development (2009).
These instruments call upon member countries to implement strategies aimed at eradicating GBV, which is a social ill hindering sustainable development.
