The National Gender-Based Violence Strategy 2010-2015, whose goal is: To reduce all forms of gender-based violence in Zimbabwe by 20 percent by 2015 has a road map to deal with the 4Ps campaign. The campaigns seeks to strengthen prevention of GBV, protection of vulnerable groups, ensure participation of women and girls in GBV eradication programmes and finally, ensure implementation of legal framework through programming. Zimbabwe’s laws on children are meant to protect the safety and welfare of the child in every household. Apparently, at national level, Zimbabwe has progressive child-protection instruments, the main one being the Children’s Protection and Adoption Act (Children’s Act). Other subsidiary instruments, including the National Plan of Action (2005) and the Orphan Care Policy (1999), promote the overall protection of the rights of the child. The need to avoid secondary trauma for, particularly children, led to the establishment of the Victim Friendly System (VFS) in 1997 through the amendment of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9: 07] that aimed at supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse to pursue their right to access specialized health, justice, welfare and other services. A Protocol on the Multi-Sectoral Management of Child Sexual Abuse was also developed to provide guidance on sector agencies’ roles and responsibilities. This has been revised over the years with latest edition being the Protocol on the Multi-Sectoral Management of Sexual Abuse and Violence in Zimbabwe 2012 which has been expanded to include girls and women – who share the brunt of sexual violence as evidenced in the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2010/2011 published by the National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) in 2012. The Protocol also applies to boys and men. The Protocol promotes a coordinated and integrated approach to sexual violence and abuse. The Protocol outlines the principles that guide responses to sexual violence and abuse and setting out the roles and responsibilities of children and adults, professionals, communities and organisations involved. The country’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET) outlines key aspirations for improving the conditions of women and these include increased community awareness on rights, gender-based violence, responsive laws, mechanisms and services. It is commendable that an integrated approach to addressing GBV has been taken so that the problem is dealt with in a comprehensive manner. Several extensive studies to acquire comprehensive knowledge on the extent and prevalence of GBV in the country have been conducted. These include the 2010-2011 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, the National Baseline Survey on Life Experiences of Adolescents (2011). In 2012, Zimbabwe was one of SADC countries that partnered the South Africa-based Gender Links (GL) to conduct a GBV indicators research in partnership with government, local government and civil society partners. Entitled Peace Begins at Home – Violence against Women (VAW) Baseline Study recognised that while the country has a strong legal framework to prevent all forms of GBV in the public and private spheres, much remains to be done to ensure that there is implementation. The research showed that VAW and girls is one of the prevalent human rights violations globally. It does not respect social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, about one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime. Zimbabwe is no exception.

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