Tag: SAFE SPACES

Making Communities Safe For Women: How Zimbabwe’s GBV Program Has Improved Access To Services In El Nino Affected Districts

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In every emergency, the vulnerability of women and girls increases. In Zimbabwe, the prevailing El Nino-induced drought has amplified the susceptibility of women and girls to numerous forms of abuse. In both Matabeleland North and South provinces, cases of elderly women getting abused sexually have been on the increase. In Gwanda and Umguza Districts where mining is rampant, artisanal miners have been sexually abusing young children, girls,women and even elderly women under the false belief that it gives them fortune in their mining endeavors. In Umguza District,…

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How Economic Empowerment Project Has Liberated Zim Rural Women From GBV

Michael Gwarisa

THE dawn of the lockdown period that was introduced following confirmation of positive COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe in March this year gave birth to a spike in Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in the country. By Michael Gwarisa According to a report titled “Violence Against Women and Girls During the Covid-19 Crisis in Zimbabwe” that was gathered by five NGOs working with survivors of gender-based violence, including the Musasa Project, the Adult Rape Clinic and the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, there was a sharp increase in domestic violence during the…

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ZICHIRE’s Safe Spaces Program Rescues UMP & Mudzi Women Who Experienced GBV During Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research (ZICHIRE) is implementing a program dubbed the “Safe Spaces” program in Mudzi and Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe (UMP) with the aim of empowering women who experienced Gender Based Violence (GBV) during the COVID-19 induced lockdown. By Michael Gwarisa The humanitarian project is also aimed at capacitating and building resilient communities so as to prevent abuse at grassroots level. In an interview with HealthTimes, ZICHIRE Programs Manager, Mr Walter Chikanya said empowering women economically was one sure way of reducing GBV. The program that we…

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Disabled Young People Struggle To Navigate SRH Social Spaces During Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

YOUNG people with disabilities are finding it difficult to access sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services during the prevailing lockdown period due to a myriad of factors, chief among them being failure to participate in social spaces where SRHR information is provided. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during a virtual meeting on ending teenage pregnancies which was hosted by Plan International Zimbabwe under the theme “Unraveling the thread of teenage pregnancies during COVID 19,” Social Worker with JF Kapnek, Adam Mukushi said the COVID-19 had presented numerous challenges for…

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