The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mbewe, Sunday Life Correspondent
EVERY year in the month of November we take time to join hands and fight against gender based violence. From November 25 to December 10 this year, campaigns will be run around the country to educate people on gender based violence. Some artistes in the country are taking part in the campaigns some even composing songs that encourage people to report gender based violence.
Artsistes like Selmor Mtukudzi, Edith We Utonga Katiji, BaShupi and Ras Caleb recently did a track called Emergency which is meant to educate and empower victims of gender based violence. The song also seeks to raise awareness to the general public about what is happening in society and inform them on how to handle the situation when it is to happen.
In an interview, Mtukudzi said as artistes, they were using their talents to put different messages across to the public. She said doing the track Emergency is their own way of giving back to the community by sharing knowledge.
“It is our duty as artistes to spread the message of love, hope and security in families. Through this song we are talking to different people in different places and our message to them is do not stay in an abusive relationship but report the matter as soon as possible,” she said.
She said the song is addressing men and the need for them to treat their wives as the women they first fell in love with.
“We have realised that women are even being raped in the house by their husbands. It is important to then go and report the incidents so that the perpetrators may be arrested despite the person being a relative or not,” she said.
Besides composing songs that fight gender based violence some artistes like Tytan and Audius Mtawarira joined the Orange campaign spearheaded by Tinopona Katsande . the campaign challenge man to paint their nails orange as a way of fighting gender based violence. Tytan of the Mukoko fame posted a picture of himself on facebook with his finger nails painted in orange and wrote “My name is Njabulo Mayibongwe Nkomo. I would rather paint my nails orange than raise this hand to abuse a woman or girlchild” #16DaysZw. Tytan said taking part in the orange campaign was an eye opener for him because it made him realise that some women and men are not concerned about gender based violence.
“People seem to focus on one’s sexuality rather than taking it as strength and emphasis on why one should fight against GBV.
It has led me to embarking on GBV awareness programmes that are meant to curb cultural myths and traditions that encourage GBV,” he said.
The young artistes has partnered with organisations like Jibilika, British Council, Speak Out, Shamwari Yemwanasikana in fighting against GBV through their programmes and has also managed to do so through social network platforms.
@rumbie_mbewe
