The Sunday News
Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
AT the age of 10, Michelle Mabuza, then a primary school pupil, played witness to a heart wrenching incident, an incident that affected her both psychologically and emotionally. She witnessed a friend being married off to an older man.
This all happened in 2008, while the world was still slightly oblivious of the war against child marriages and gender-based violence.
Nonetheless Mabuza, as she is affectionately known, decided to wage a war against abuse, mainly focusing on child marriages and gender based imbalances.
Today, at the age of 19 and recently crowned Miss Teen Zimbabwe 1st Princess, Mabuza, in partnership with Tariro and One Point Eight Photography have since launched a campaign, titled Silent Screams, aimed at, not to say curbing but to minimise gender based issues, mainly child marriages.
Launched early this year, Mabuza and her partners aim at challenging the world to end such heinous phenomenon, and give space to children, who are considered the leaders of tomorrow.
She spoke to Sunday Life a about her intensions soon after the christening event.
“I challenge the world, Zimbabwe in particular to take a stance against child marriages. I have played witness to this so called creature and it is in no doubt destructive, not only socially but economically. No words can describe the amount of emotional and psychological turmoil a child goes through after being married off to an adult… a person that one as a child looks up to as a protector… a person that will guide them to being mature, a person that will protect them from the world…’ she said.
Mabuza was crowned 1st princess in Harare at the Royal Golf Club early this month.
Since then, not because she wanted to flaunt herself to the world or become famous, her mandate was to change the world.
She said most girls that ventured into the industry, where concerned with making a name for themselves than making a change.
“It’s not about fame but one needs to accept the fact that they are game changers and role models of society. With this initiative that I have been honoured to be part of I aim at working with related and concerned parties to make a global change,” said Mabuza.
The world has been fighting gender based imbalances since time immemorial, with child marriages being at the top of the list.
Africa has topped in world rankings on the subject, with the whole Boko Haram issue.
Human trafficking also needs to be mentioned as one of the top contributors of child abuse.
Referring to a speech Mabuza said: “Gender based violence is one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world, one of the least prosecuted crimes, and one of the greatest threats to lasting peace and development…I am talking about violence against women and children. We all know that we have to do much more to respond to the cries for justice of women and children who have suffered violence. We have to do much more to end these horrible abuses and the impunity that allows these human rights violations to continue.
“The silence on violence against women and children has been broke. Now is the time for stronger action. When one in three girls in developing countries is likely to be married as a child bride; when some 140 million girls and women have suffered female genital mutilation; when millions of women and girls are trafficked in modern-day slavery; and when women’s bodies are a battleground and rape is used as a tactic of war — it is time for action.
“This violence against women and children has tremendous costs to communities, nations and societies — for public well-being, health and safety, and for school achievement, productivity, law enforcement, and public programmes and budgets. If left unaddressed, these human rights violations pose serious consequences for current and future generations and for efforts to ensure peace and security, to reduce poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the next generation of development goals.
“The effects of violence can remain with women and children for a lifetime, and can pass from one generation to another. Studies show that children who have witnessed, or been subjected to, violence are more likely to become victims or abusers themselves.
Violence against women and girls is an extreme manifestation of gender inequality and systemic gender-based discrimination. The right of women and children to live free of violence depends on the protection of their human rights and a strong chain of justice.
“For an effective response to this violence, different sectors in society must work together. A rape survivor must have rapid access to a health clinic that can administer emergency medical care, including treatment to prevent HIV and unintended pregnancies and counseling. A woman who is beaten by her husband must have someplace to go with her children to enjoy safety, sanity and shelter. A victim of violence must have confidence that when she files a police report, she will receive justice and the perpetrator will be punished. And an adolescent boy in school who learns about health and sexuality must be taught that coercion, violence and discrimination against girls are unacceptable,” she said.
@peterkmatika
