The old adage goes: “If you empower a man, you will have just empowered an individual, but if you empower a woman, you would have empowered the world”. Inkanyezi Development Trust (IDT) brought together a number of womens clubs who are into various self-help and income generating projects to impart to women the basic skills on how best they can run as clubs collectively and to empower them on Advocacy and social accountability. Inkanyezi Development Trust, a member organization of South Western Region Gender Network (SWRGN) implemented several community engagement activities in Lupane district , in Dandanda, Mzola 5 and Mzola 27 areas to empower and amplify womens voice in reducing Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the Covid 19 era, a project funded by OSISA through the Network.
Amongst the activities implemented by IDT were community dialogues that took participants on social accountability and advocacy. The Programmes officer for Inkanyezi Development Trust (IDT) Mr Nkosiyabo Dlamini pre-emptied the importance of having a holistic approach on curbing the escalation of GBV by creating some synergies as stakeholders and the communities. He encouraged women to play an active role in ensuring that perpetrators of violence are brought to justice and that survivors of abuse receive proper remedial support.
He said the importance of monitoring gender-based incidents at community levels by the community members at their locality will help reduce incidents of gbv cases in Lupane.
IDT raised awareness on gender-based violence, at which the communities indicated their concerns on the prevalence of gender-based violence cases that are concealed in the community especially the sexual related cases where family members are involved. The participants said the family usually conceal the cases to promote their family image.
Sichelesile Moyo a group coordinator for Dandanda ward said that as the local community they are happy to be informed of the remedies they can use to reduce cases of GBV as the majority of them never see the light of the day whilst having a serous bearing on the life of a rural woman at Dandanda
“We are pleased over this project which has enlightened us and a lot of women have been the victims of GBV and indaba zakhona ziphelela emoyeni, okwakhathesi sesikwazi ukuthi sthatha nyathela bani kungenzeka udlame”said Moyo
The organization informed the communities can improve on the implementation of existing programmes at community level, and can effectively advocate for better policies and programming related to ending gender GBV.
Victim friendly Unit of Zimbabwe Republic Police official underscored, that as a public security department promoting the interest of the community, they normally face the challenge of withdrawal of cases by the victims making their work a bit difficult.
The intervention by IDT in conjunction with SWRGN has seen women`s groups taking it upon themselves to engage in awareness activities to spread the gospel to step up awareness on ending GBV.
Traditional leader Mr Nkululeko Nkomo of Thokozani in Mzola ward said since the initiation of the programme by the network they have seen the decrease in cases of violence as women are now empowered to report such cases.
“Ekuqaliseni we were taking umsebenzi wamapholisa as ours but ngokufundiswa kwabomama laba sebesifundisile lath ukuthi indaba zodlame zibanjwa ngabomthetho hatshi thina” said Nkomo
On their programming, the network, through its implementing member organizations for Lupane and Matobo Districts, facilitated a leadership Summer school that saw the participants drawn from Lupane and Matopo held in Binga to create a recreational learning environment. The activity was of importance as it also facilitated for peer exchange of experience by women from the two Districts.
To raise womens capacity, IDT also convened online sessions to appraise rural women on legal matters like, their knowledge of family laws which includes: Maintenance Act, Wills and Inheritance, Domestic Violence Act and the Marriage Act among others, as women are mostly extorted solely because of their ignorance, as this culminates Gender based violence cases. The theme of the project is: “Stop Gender Based Violence Strengthen Womens Voices”
