Zimbabwe – Advocating for Reduction in Patriarchal Society

In the ever increasing economic meltdown currently being experienced worldwide, the economic crunch is most felt in third world countries or better known as Developing Countries. This has resulted in the rearing of the ugly head of abuse directed mostly at the girl child. Therefore due to the massive increase of the girl child abuse, it was with this in mind that young people embarked on this project to best see how they could eliminate this problem.

Together with the early child marriage cases that are increasing they were motivated to undertake the project advocating for the voiceless. Young people tried to apply new and better solutions to the problems. Some of the solutions include the introduction of awareness campaigns in Kadoma, peer education, workshops and many other ideas that were brought about.

The major objectives of this project is to educate the girl child on their rights on subjects ranging from sexuality and the abuse thereafter. There is also a need to educate young women on HIV and AIDS and what the repercussions were, both socially and economically. Apart from the disease, there is also the scourge of teenage pregnancy and how it affects one’s reproductive organs.

Initiation of awareness campaigns such as the Day of The African child was formulated. Such were conducted to inform young children on their rights and responsibilities. Also the school visits were conducted during the second quarter. This include workshops in Kadoma to protect the children by empowering and educating them about their rights. On these campaigns the main objectives were to protect and/or safeguard victims of abuse.

The project has reached 200 000 direct beneficiaries, 173 000 indirect beneficiaries and 500 online beneficiaries. The government of Zimbabwe has allocated $2000 to support this project. In kind contributions amounted to $850, and the budget in total is $2850.

The major challenges the project faced included lack of finance to conduct the workshops. Also geographical limitations that stopped the group from reaching other areas in Kadoma, only to mention a few. However some of the challenges were solved such as finance by inviting a few people to the workshops and taking less time with them so as to limit the finance.

After all the campaigns the group members would go to the police and check the records of child abuse after every two months and fortunately they were reducing in numbers. The community was engaged in terms of their observations and they realized that the campaigns were helping. Even the turn-ups and response during the campaigns reflected some sense of positivity.

Women were previously viewed as sex machines for baby bearing. Even at household level, women were seen as housemaids by their partners. Not being ignorant of the fact of religious beliefs which went viral that women must not, like a man, have a job but only to remain at home breastfeeding and bearing more children. This belief promoted the feeling of discrimination and being taken advantage of. However due to these campaigns women are now being seen differently and the patriarchal society has reduced in the community. A lot of women have been helped and empowered in a couple of ways by letting them know their rights and their responsibilities. This also resulted in female leadership in various organisations. Ill-treatment towards girl child has been reduced and they are now being considered as part and parcel of the society.

”As young women we felt like we were being discriminated and being taken advantage of. However due to these campaigns we are now being seen differently and the patriarchal society has reduced in the community. A lot of women have been helped and empowered in a couple of ways by letting them know their rights and their responsibilities. This also resulted in female leadership in various organisations.” These words were shared by Bianca Matimba.

In the community there are physical changes as well as mental changes that are seen. A lot of women have been helped and empowered in a couple of ways by letting them know their rights and their responsibilities. This also resulted in female leadership in various associations. The girl child now has the opportunity to explore and also to utilize her rights to the maximum. Also the rate of reports on HIV and AIDS victims are falling down.

The attitude towards the girl child has rapidly changed as the community now consider and respect the girl child’s choice and boundary. She is now being taken to be a complete human being amongst others. This scenario has made the girl child to walk tall and also to exploit her abilities. Taking from another perspective, the girl child now knows the power she possesses and also how she must lead a successful life.

One big lesson learned is that it only takes an individual to conceive an idea and act upon it. Additionally, it only takes a small group of ambitious individuals in order to twist a community. Another lesson learnt is that when there is a problem, it is for you to act upon it which is done by sharing the idea with other colleagues and try by all means to attack the chaos as one and again at once. No one is better than another but all that needs to be done is only to respect each other’s rights and choices.

This good practice can be sustained not by any energy draining act or any complex manner of supporting it but only by working together. If the people bring their heads together and help each other in as much as the success is concerned.