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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Index of articles surrounding the debate of the Domestic Violence Bill
Timothy
Mubhawu's statements in Parliament
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
October 11, 2006
View
the index of articles on the debate around the Domestic Violence
Bill
Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights (ZLHR) wishes to express its dismay at the comments
reported to have been made by the Member of the House of Assembly
for Mabvuku, Mr. Timothy Mubhawu, during a recent debate in Parliament
on the Domestic Violence Bill.
Mr. Mubhawu's unfortunate
statements are proof of the challenges we face in Zimbabwe today
in seeking to promote and protect the rights of women as enshrined
in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and many international human rights
instruments to which Zimbabwe has voluntarily bound itself.
ZLHR further finds the
public response of the Executive of the Tsvangirai-led Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) to be unsatisfactory. Mr. Tsvangirai
is reported to have insisted that Mr. Mubhawu was speaking in his
personal capacity; however, the comments were made during a public
debate in the House of Assembly when Members of the House were making
representations, supposedly on behalf of their constituents and
in line with party policy.
We urge the MDC Executive
to make it clear to the public that Mr. Mubhawu will be sanctioned
for his retrogressive comments, and to ensure that Mr. Mubhawu goes
on record in the House of Assembly in full support of the intent
and purpose of the long-overdue Domestic Violence Bill, and its
provisions and effect.
ZLHR notes that the views
of Mr. Mubhawu are shared by a number of his fellow Parliamentarians
and urges all human rights defenders to carefully scrutinise the
transcripts of the recent debate, and the debates to come, to identify
and challenge all individuals who hold such unacceptable views which
seek to maintain the status of women as second class citizens in
Zimbabwean society.
Visit
the ZLHR fact
sheet
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