CHIEFS from Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe (UMP) have launched the Chiefs’ commitments on promoting child protection and ending child marriages in an effort to reduce harmful practices that perpetuate child sexual abuse and marriages.
By Patricia Mashiri
With the help of Rozaria Memorial Trust, Ministry of local governance and public works and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, the chiefs who pledged their commitment are Chief Nyajina of Uzumba, Chief Chipfiyamiti of Uzumba, Chief Chinhanga of Maramba and Chief Chitsungo of Pfungwe.
Addressing the National commemorations of the 2022 of 16 days Against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Uzumba Mashonaland East, Dr Stembiso Nyoni, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development applauded the Chiefs in UMP for taking part in the Great initiative of promoting child protection and making efforts in ending child marriages.
As we mark the beginning of the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against GBV I want to acknowledge our traditional leaders for leading by example. What I have seen here is a great illustration of leading by example by our traditional leaders, and the declaration made by you today, to protect children and end child marriage is worthy to be applauded.
“Traditional leaders are key influencers in our communities who play a pivotal role in shaping traditional practices. It motivates me that we are all speaking the same language and together we shall work towards a Zimbabwean Society free from all forms of GBV and Harmful Practices,” the Minister said.
This year’s 16 days of Activism against GBV came at a time where cases of teenage pregnancies and child sexual exploitation has been on the increase.
These cases include the 9year old Tsholotso girl who recently gave birth, the 15 year Norton girl who died at the shrine giving birth and the couple who have been sexually abusing their children 9 and 11.
Tonderai Douglas Nyajina, who is one of the chiefs in Uzumba said, “We came up with the Chiefs commitments on promoting child protection and ending child marriages after we realized that rape and child abuse was topical in our areas. There is high maternal mortality rate in the area and quite number of these deaths were found to be teenage mothers.
“There are a lot of cases of children being abused but they go unreported. We have churches I can not name who are also involved in child abuse. If we are approached by these cases as our traditional courts we refer them to the police.”
He added that the issue of rape and early marriages were at his heart as one of his daughters died at the age of thirteen because she was drugged and raped and died without exposing the perpetrator.
“I appeal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa that when he gives his presidential amnesty to prisoners he should not include perpetrators of sexual violence. I experienced this first hand as my daughter was drugged and raped and she died without telling me who the perpetrator was,” Chief Nyajina said.
Meanwhile, Dr Nyaradzai Gumbonzvada, Director Rozaria Memorial Trust who is also the AU Goodwill Ambassador on ending child marriages said the increase in teenage maternal mortality rate was a cause for concern.
“Our girls are dying whilst giving birth, they are traumatised. We have the laws in this country they should protect the girl child. We appeal to the government that rapist should not go out on bail to protect the children from trauma.
“We need protection because we have the laws. I want to applaud the traditional leaders for reclaiming the ethos of us being a people with Ubuntu.The chiefs here in UMP are reshaping the social norms,” said Dr Gumbonzvanda.
She added that criminals should not hide under religion as GBV is not part of either religious or traditional culture.
The chiefs commitments on promoting child protection and ending child marriage in UMP include that there should be positive culture and social practices, making it an offense marry off children,criminalize selling traditional beer to children and providing an annual report of activities and progress towards these commitment among others.
