Media Statement|The MDC Assembly of Women joins the world in commemorating 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), an annual international campaign that kicks off on the 25th of November, being the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until the 10th of December, the Human Rights Day.

This year the Assembly of Women marks the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence under the theme, “Orange the World: MDC standing against all forms of GBV” The theme comes against the background of continued violence against women particularly by State security departments who have a constitutional mandate to protect the same.

The main objective of the 16 Days of Activism against GBV Campaign is to raise awareness to all Zimbabweans and implore them stop violence against women and children.

Women continue to be victims of Gender Based Violence regardless of the international and domestic laws that were promulgated to protect them.

Women are being harassed in homes, communities, churches, workplaces, political spheres and even in buses where they are packed like sardines by people only concerned with making profits at the expense of people’s dignity.

The MDC Assembly of Women is deeply concerned about the lack of seriousness by the government to bring to book the perpetrators of Gender Based Violence especially rape by the men in uniform during the ZCTU led stay-away in January.

The statistics of rape and sexual assaults are difficult to confirm due to impunity of perpetrators, stigma towards survivors, and under reporting.

Though Gender Based Violence affect both sexes, traditional practices and patriarchal tendencies in our society leaves women more vulnerable.

Women continue to be abused in their communities by the government despite it being signatory to regional and international statutes seeking to protect the same. A case in point is the recent police brutality that happened on the 20th of November in Harare where police attacked women with button sticks and sjamboks, an act of barbarism.
The MDC in its SMART document highlights its pro-gender sensitive policies for sustainable development.
The Assembly of Women encourages everyone to speak out against gender based violence particularly, abuse of women and children, as most cases still go unreported.

We challenge men to be ambassadors of peace and help to put a stop to violence against women and children by denouncing all forms of gender based violence.

Let us all Orange the World and stand against all forms of Gender Based Violence.

B. Tanyanyiwa
MDC Women’s Assembly
Spokesperson