The Sunday Mail
Gender and Community Editor
At least 100 000 cases of gender-based violence (GBV), translating to 105 cases per day, have been recorded over the past two-and-a-half years with Musasa Project describing it as a national emergency.
Musasa is a GBV-focused non-governmental organisation.
The sharp increase has been attributed to the impact of Covid-19, which largely saw victims, mostly women and girls, spending more time with their abusers.
Speaking at an event to roll out the High-Level Political Compact (HLPC) launched by President Mnangagwa last year as a strategic initiative to recommit to ending GBV, Musasa Project executive director Ms Vimbai Meda said the lockdowns that were meant to curb the spread of Covid-19 “left GBV victims locked in with the perpetrators”.
“We have recorded close to 100 000 GBV cases in the past two-and-a-half years. An increase in cases of physical and sexual violence was highlighted in the period when the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdowns left GBV victims locked in with the perpetrators,” she said.
Ms Meda said Musasa Project admitted 7 304 survivors in 2021 compared to 5 221 the previous year.
“The Covid-19 era was very telling of the way we are in terms of our response to GBV. It exposed a pressing need to collectively apply our minds and ourselves to how we can minimise the impact of emergencies on women and girls, because Covid-19 may not be the last emergency that we see.”
Speaking at the same event, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Permanent Secretary Mr Moses Mhike urged stakeholders to put the HLPC plan into action.
“About a month ago, I went to one of our one-stop centres as well as our shelter in Mashonaland Central. What I saw there was so disheartening. I saw about 10 or so young girls aged eight to 14 years and the majority of them were pregnant.
“I then said to myself: What kind of society are we? What has become of us as men? I then said these kids were supposed to be in school instead of being mothers already. So to me this is a real pandemic,” he said.
The HLPC is expected to herald accelerated action to address violence and harmful practices against women and girls.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) chief economist Mr Ojijo Odhiambo said while there is political will to combat GBV, more needs to be done in terms of implementation.
