The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sunday News Reporter
THE construction of the survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) One-Stop Centre in Bulawayo and surrounding provinces at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo is 95 percent complete, with completion set for next month (September).
The facility which will improve reportage of cases and enhance justice is being championed by the Government and its partners, will help survivors access legal and medical help as well as counselling.
Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Honourable Dr Sithembiso Nyoni made these revelation when she reported on the progress of this and other projects to Cabinet this Tuesday.
“Construction of the One-Stop Centre at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo is 95 percent complete,” Minister Nyoni told Cabinet.
Official estimates indicate that nearly 40 percent of the Zimbabwean women have experienced either physical or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. It has also been reported that one in three of these women experienced physical or sexual violence before reaching the age of 18.
The Minister also reported that the training and registration of 120 women under the Business Linkages for Women on the COMESA 50 Million African Women Speak on Line is 100 percent complete.
The 50 Million African Women Speak platform aims to facilitate a dynamic and engaging exchange of ideas among women entrepreneurs, using in-built social media functionality to connect them with one another in ways that will foster peer-to-peer learning, mentoring and the sharing of information and knowledge within communities, and access to financial services and market opportunities between urban and rural areas, and across borders and between countries.
Minister Nyoni also reported that funding of 30 Community Groups from three provinces (Manicaland, Midlands and Bulawayo Metropolitan) under the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund (ZCDF) is 80 percent complete while construction of the Gwanda Vendor Mart in Matabeleland South Province is 60 percent complete.
She added that construction of the Guruve Women Gold Milling Centre in Mashonaland Central Province is 70 percent complete and on track for commissioning.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Honourable Dr Kirsty Coventry, outlined the following progress for projects being implemented under her Ministry: “Refurbishment of the Beitbridge Interact Centre Computer Laboratory has reached 20 percent while construction of a goat hub dip tank facility at Phangeni VTC, Matabeleland South Province is 95 percent complete.”
“Construction of provincial Vocational Training Centres at Insukamini (Midlands Province), Chipinge (Manicaland Province), Mudzi (Mashonaland East Province), Sizinda (Bulawayo Metropolitan Province), Bindura (Mashonaland Central Province), Umguza (Matabeleland North Province), and Murombedzi (Mashonaland West Province) are at various levels of completion,” said Minister Coventry in her report. @RealSimbaJemwa
