Roseline Mutare
Shamwari Yemwanasikana joins the world in commemorating the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, under the theme “Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls.”
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, Ekenia Chifamba, founding director of Shamwari Yemwanasikana (SYS), said the organization is worried and saddened by the continued increase in cases of child marriages, mental health issues, and backyard abortions in Zimbabwe.
“We are seeing young women and girls who are still struggling to be recognized equally in workplaces, education, political spaces, and communities. There is a lack of knowledge of gender-based violence in the community, and we need to do more to address this issue,” Chifamba said.
Chifamba noted that despite efforts by the government, through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, and civil society organizations, to provide various services, including entrepreneurship initiatives, sexual reproductive health rights hubs, and peer-to-peer support initiatives, more needs to be done.
“We are creating awareness-raising platforms, information dissemination, and service provision at the doorsteps of those who need it most. However, we need to do more to address the root causes of gender-based violence,” she said.
Chifamba emphasized that the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is not just a 16-day event, but a 365-day challenge for all to come together as churches, men and boys, decision-makers, communities, women, and girls to end the scourge of gender-based violence.
“It is our hope that every Zimbabwean will have an appreciation and understanding of how the GBV policies work, so they know where to report cases and where to get the much-needed support and help,” Chifamba noted.
She also pointed out that the drought situation in the country, exacerbated by the global climate change, has left women and girls vulnerable, resulting in an increase in human trafficking cases, child sexual exploitation, and young women and girls turning to the streets for survival.
“We urge everyone to join hands in ending gender-based violence and promoting the rights of women and girls,” Chifamba said.
The 16 days of activism campaign, taking place every year between 25 November and 10 December which calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership.
