Zimbabwe – Betty Jasoni

“THOSE WITHOUT MISSION WILL SAY MY VISION IS JUST AN ILLUSION.”

I have come across children who have been abused sexually by their guardians or parents to the extent of contracting STIs or HIV. I have been triggered by such instances to instil change in young people’s lives, especially those who are survivors of abuse.

I was elected as a ward Councillor in 2013 and I have been involved in gender works after attending International Centre for Local Democracy in Sweden. As a human being, it is one of my personal objectives to eradicate any forms of abuse within my country, especially gender-based violence.

I work as a service provider. As a councillor, I work with people and communities at large to render my services to them. As a woman, I would like to see other women succeed, especially young women. The society has always stereotyped men as strong and making them think that leadership traits come from masculinity. Therefore I would like to break that stereotype, and help capacitate a girl child.

Championing gender equality have spread the message to my kids at home especially towards boys. They have learnt to accept and appreciate gender equality. I believe it is quite important to groom boys at a very young age that they should learn respecting women and treating them nicely.

As a gender champion, my attitude towards gender has changed. I am now aware of my rights and that of every other woman within the society, and I am quite aware of the SADC Gender Protocol. My standard of living have improved and I have a capacity to act and negotiate for women to be treated as equal as men within the society.