Tag: KATSWE SISTERHOOD

Fears Of Spike In STIs and Unintended Pregnancies As More Adolescent Girls Indulge In Unsafe Sex During Lockdown in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE prevailing lockdown has seen more young girls engaging in sexual activities with either older males and or boys of their ages, while a significant number of reports of sexual abuse against girls were also reported since Zimbabwe commenced its lockdown measures in March this year. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during a virtual meeting which was hosted by Plan International Zimbabwe, Maxwell Mhlanga, Plan Int Zimbabwe’s (PIZ) Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)  Manager said a survey they conducted in April indicated that more girls were indulging in sex…

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Zim Experts Warn Of Rise In Unintended Pregnancies After Lockdown…Should Young People Adopt Long-term Contraceptives?

Michael Gwarisa

FAILURE by young women and girls to access modern contraceptives and reproductive health services during the lockdown could spell doom and possibly reverse the gains that have been attained in terms of reducing Early Unintended Pregnancies (EUPs). By Michael Gwarisa According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) 2015, sexually active unmarried women are more likely to have the highest risk of unintended pregnancy. This is because more than 70% of them are on short-acting contraceptives, condoms, and orals. Under a lockdown scenario as ours, supply can easily be disrupted…

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Why Decriminalising HIV Transmission is The Way To Go For Zim

Michael Gwarisa

OVER the past few months, there has been talk around the subject of decriminalising HIV transmission. The minister of Justice, Honorable Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament that government was planning to decriminalise wilful transmission of HIV following the gazetting of the Marriage Bill. By Michael Gwarisa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) which include the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Katswe Sisterhood, Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN), Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) among others have been advocating for the repealing of Section 79 of the Criminal law which criminalises…

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To Or Not To Legalise Abortion, Zimbabwe’s Legal Dilemma

NewsRoom

ABORTION has been a contentious issue in Zimbabwe and the world over, with governments and civil society organisations clashing on numerous platforms over the morality, acceptability and legality of the practice. By Michael Gwarisa The United States government under the current Donald Trump administration does not support abortion, neither does it provide funding for organisations which support abortion. In Zimbabwe, not only is abortion taboo but is in most instances associated with loose morals and first degree murder as it involves the termination of a fetus (life) from its mother’s…

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Katswe To Petition Ministry of Health Over Free Sanitary Pads

NewsRoom

…as women use rags and cow dung during periods …Seeks two million signatures PRO-Women rights group Katswe Sisterhood is mobilizing support for their “Happy Flow” petition which seeks among other things to gather not less than two million signatures to have government provide free sanitary pads and wear to women and girls. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a Hwange Women demonstration, Katswe Sisterhood peer educator, Primrose Kavhumbura said the pricing for sanitary pads has gone beyond reach of many and women have resorted to using…

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Katswe launches anti AIDS campaign

NewsRoom

By Daniel Chigundu PRO-Women rights group Katswe Sistahood says it is launching the “Staying negative campaign” which is aimed at helping girls in marginalised areas protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and related diseases. The 30-day campaign which comes just a month before the commemoration of the Day of the African Child is also seeking to interrogate why HIV prevalence rate is higher for girls compared to the boy child. In a statement Katswe said there have been so many speeches about protecting girls adding that it was now it’s time for…

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