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Violence against women in all its forms has to end
Youth Forum
December 06, 2013

As we continue to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against GBV under the theme “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women!” we proclaim, that violence against women in all its forms has to end.

Gender Based Violence appears in various forms, ranging from physical violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence to economic violence. For those listed reasons, Gender Based Violence is claimed a serious case of human rights violation.

In a Zimbabwean context, a further violence against women, also representing a serious breach of human rights values is the deprivation and exclusion of women from social service benefits. This social exclusion takes place in the deprivation of many segregated and poor women from access to clean water.

Zimbabwean women on everyday basis are fighting a peculiar kind of war, enduring the agony of having no water to take a decent bath. Young and poor girls cannot access sanitary ware, a commodity accessible to the rich privileged only.

As stated in the paragraph 48 of Declaration of Rights of the Zimbabwean Constitution, every person has the right to life. Paragraph 56 (2) further states, that both men and women have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres. Thus, based on our constitution, depriving women from access to water not only constitutes a breach of human rights, but also of the bill of rights.

It is on this ground, that we as Youth Forum demand an end to all forms of Violence and deprivations. Knowing that achieving equality amongst men and women and ending violent acts against women, is a long process, we acknowledge that for Zimbabwe it will take more than just a global campaign charity they say begins at home.

It takes some honest sisters to go beyond the global NGO rhetoric and agenda setting, smell the stench at their door steps and say “I have been violated, enough is enough.”

Let us stop the violence you are perpetrating against women, men or children.

Let us demand the police to carry out roles of protecting and addressing GBV in the community.

Let us continue raising awareness of the Domestic Violence Act and how it protects victims of violence.

Let us demonstrate solidarity with women and others suffering gender based violence.

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