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Over 3 500 people reached during a rural outreach programme
Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender
May 05, 2010

There was a resounding positive response from the rural population during the recently held intensive two week outreach programme, which was undertaken in Chikomba East in the Mashonaland East Province and Kwekwe District in the Midlands Province. The programme was spearheaded by Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender in partnership with Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED). Over 3 500 members were reached during the period spanning from 19th to 30th of April 2010 including traditional and religious leaders.

This is part of the Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender's efforts in strengthening the rural programme that seek to engage the rural population in gender dialogue sessions that promote the upholding of women's rights and pave way for equal access and opportunities to all facets of development between men and women.

It was refreshing to note that some communities are beginning to take tangible actions in response to gender issues. For example, in Chikomba every village has now established a Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender committee headed by the headman that deals with gender related issues. The other responsibilities assigned to these committees include: to actively encourage men to redefine themselves from notions of toxic masculinities that hinders them from expressing their feelings, a situation which further leads to more cases of violence due to frustrations. This new development has witnessed the decline in cases of domestic violence in the area compared to the previous time before the establishment of these committees. Chief Mutekedza of Chikomba encouraged these committees to continue with their work of actively advocating for the denunciation of domestic violence, especially male violence against women citing an example of the recent case that happened in his area where a man had murdered his wife in a domestic violence case.

In Kwekwe District, the outreach team travelled with the Kwekwe Magistrate Ms Florence Dlakama and Chief Malisa who explained clearly about the operation of the Domestic Violence Act in Zimbabwe. This came in light of various misconceptions held about the Act especially from men as they argue that the Act seeks to protect only women. Chief Malisa, in one of the meetings in Empress said, "Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender and CAMFED have done a great job in trying to bring harmony not only to our families but to our community at large. It is now the duty of us the local leaders to make sure that we put in place measures to create safe open places for both men and women to actively engage in dialogue sessions that will improve their relations."

The local leaders of the areas reached were challenged to cascade their knowledge on gender issues to the grassroots levels so that change will begin from the family unit. However, there is still need for more support in terms of resources that will ensure that the outreach programme is taken to other far field areas of the country, especially the remotest parts of the country.

Meanwhile several other activities have been lined up for next week. On the 9th of May 2010 at Gwebi Agriculture College, a community dialogue session will be held under the topic, "Making Gwebi a safe place for both men and women."

The initiation of this forum is a method that Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender through its Tertiary Programme has taken to respond to the challenges that students are facing especially in the face of Gender dynamics a, HIV/AIDS and diminishing livelihoods base. The aim is to assist students and local members of the community at large on ways of identifying their problems and how to respond to them by devising community action solutions.

On the 12th, 16th and 17th of May 2010 team Padare/Enkundleni will be in Mhondoro and Kushinga, Phikelela holding drama trainings and gender dialogue sessions focusing on challenging gender dynamics in a cultural context. This is part of the ongoing Changing the River's Flow programme that seeks to address HIV and AIDS pandemic through interrogating gender dynamics. Padare/Enkundleni is implementing this programme in four districts of the country namely: Kushinga-Phikelela in Marondera, Makosa in Mutoko, Chirau and Mhondoro.

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