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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