The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mbewe
NOVEMBER is an important month to all women in Zimbabwe as they join the rest of the world in commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. In the same spirit, some female artistes in the country have taken a step further in ensuring that they spread the campaign against gender-based violence through music.
The 2014 commemorations from 25 November to 10 December will run under the theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Gender-based Violence”.
This year’s commemorations come at a time when gender-based violence in the country is on the increase despite immense campaigns against it.
In an interview, former television personality Makanaka Wakatama said she was taking advantage of the 16 days to launch her trust which advocates against gender-based violence and child marriages. Wakatama has been holding road shows so as to interact with people and talk about issues that deal with violence and abuse in general.
“This was the best time to launch my trust as it deals with issues that go hand-in-hand with gender-based violence. We are interacting with people through our road shows. These road shows will be disseminating information on abuse, gender-based violence and child marriages,” she said.
The former Star Kids presenter said it was the duty of parents to protect their children from any kind of abuse, especially child marriages. She said children forced into child marriages were deprived of their rights and future.
“Children are very vulnerable and so once they are forced into early marriages their future is totally destroyed. They are at a higher risk of being victims of gender-based violence because they do not have the capacity to protect themselves,” she said.
She encouraged women, girls and even men who are victims of gender-based violence to report their situations to the police. She also urged men to take a leading role in campaigning against gender-based violence as it affects everyone.
“Men should also take part in these celebrations because they are also a part of the community. These celebrations are not all about women but are about women and men. Victims of gender-based violence should be told that it is their right to report on abuse and that no one has the right to treat them that way,” Wakatama said.
Three-time Zimbabwe Music Awards winner, Cynthia Mare also released a single entitled Moto Ngaubvire in conjunction with the British Council which she said was her contribution towards the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign. The jazz maestro said her song was empowering the girl child to speak out against abuse.
“Women and girls do not deserve to be treated unfairly and so my song is campaigning against their ill-treatment. It is more like empowering women to depend on themselves and not rely on other people as they are capable of being successful on their own,” she said.
Mare also said artistes had a role to play in helping reduce gender-based violence crimes in their country. She said there was a need for artistes to hold awareness campaigns on gender-based violence that will empower victims.
“I think it is our duty as artistes to come up with campaigns that empower victims of gender-based violence. These people need a strong support structure or network of people that will give them hope and show them that they are loved and appreciated,” she said.
Despite the immerse campaigns against gender-based violence, these crimes continue to be on the increase in the country and many women are dying as a result of the fear of reporting perpetrators. Mare encouraged women and girls to report gender-based violence and not blame themselves for what was happening to them.
“Many victims of gender-based violence tend to blame themselves for the misfortunes befalling them. These people should be made aware of the fact that whatever is happening to them is not their fault and is wrong. They should seek help and not hesitate to tell the police or anyone close to them,” she said.
The artiste said they would not stop talking about gender-based violence as long as there was no change.
