By Pretty Chavango.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Cases of gender based violence continue to soar unabated.
It was noted that the annual international 16 days of activism were too little in addressing such a huge issue which saw at least one woman being raped in every 90 minutes in Zimbabwe.
According to preliminary statistics of the first quarter of 2014 from the Zimbabwe National Statistics (ZimStat) thus the introduction of the Orange day campaign as a means to ensure people remain aware of the impact of gender based violence on society, and maintain awareness and active participation in curbing this social ill.
This month’s orange day was complemented with various activities from different organisations such as Zimbabwe United Nations Association (ZUNA), Tag a Life International (TALI), Students and Youths Working on reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT), PADARE Enkundleni Men’s forum on gender amongst others. In Zimbabwe, women make up over half (52%) of the total population, despite their majority they are not equally represented.
World Health Organisation (WHO) defines gender as the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.
From the definition it is clear that gender based violence encompasses both men and women but due to the high number of women falling victim to it much emphasis has been placed on the need to end violence against women in particular
In order to make sensitisation of the public on this important day easier and more engaging ZUNA decided to take to the streets and pass on information of the implications of gender based violence to passerby’s.
since most people were ignorant of this day as it does not fall on any public holiday it was bound to pass by with most people unaware of it neither would they remember it the next month.
ZUNA together with some representatives from TALI embarked on an exercise where they would give an orange to anyone wearing clothing with the orange colour, one could notice that even though many passer-by’s were aware of the implications of gender based violence most were unaware of the Orange day. It meant it was therefore upon ZUNA to explain to people why there were being given an orange and why they should wear orange again on every 25th of each coming month.
In order that the idea behind the orange would stick in their minds, music was also incorporated into the event to attract a crowd with ith educational songs on gender based violence by musician Pauline Gundizha.
Running under the banner, “Unite to end violence against women” its theme was “different gender same agenda”.
Women and men alike were encouraged to report any acts of violence happening in and around them, fliers and stickers were distributed widely to increase sensitization on the issue.
WHO’s World Report on Violence and Health notes that “one of the most common forms of violence against women is that performed by a husband or male partner”. This type of violence is frequently invisible since it happens behind closed doors, and effectively, when legal systems and cultural norms do not treat as a crime, but rather as a “private” family matter, or a normal part of life.
Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender. It constitutes a breach of the fundamental right to life, liberty, security, and dignity, equality between women and men, non-discrimination and physical and mental integrity.
Gender based violence takes many forms for example in the family one may be subjected to battery, marital rape, sexual abuse of female children, dowry-related violence, female genital mutilation/cutting and other traditional practices harmful to women, physical abuse, or in the general community rape, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in school or in the street, trafficking of women and forced prostitution, and violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, sex-selective abortion, differential access to food and services, sexual exploitation a, honour killing or using girls to appease spirits, domestic or intimate partner violence, deprivation of inheritance or property amongst a whole lot others.
Orange day falls on the 25th of each month and came as a result of the need to increase awareness on gender based violence out of the annual 16 days of activism.
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