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CHITREST on 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence
Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST)
November 27, 2013

The Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST) joins Zimbabwe and the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the ongoing 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. These are universally commemorated annually between November 25 and December 10 to raise awareness on gender-based violence as a human rights issue.

As the world celebrate this year under the theme "From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Lets Challenge Militarism and end Violence against Women", CHITREST recognizes the efforts made to improve the status of women in Zimbabwe such as affirmative action in education, the quota system in Parliament, the Domestic Violence Act, the provision of a Gender Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission in the new charter.

While we acknowledge the above achievements on paper, the reality obtaining on the ground is of great concern. Domestic violence is still rampant in our communities and often goes unchecked. To this end, we call upon the Government to urgently operationalize the provision of the new charter which have a bearing on the upliftment of the status of women in our country.

We urge civic society, law enforcement agents and other critical stakeholders to continuously monitor the HUMAN RIGHTS situation in the country and to raise awareness as well as bringing perpetrators to book.

It our commitment as CHITREST that we will not rest while our dearest 'daughters, sisters and mothers' are condemned to second class citizen status.

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