MARONDERA-Mashonaland East will this year host the National Launch of the 16 Days of Activism
Against Gender Based Violence.
The event slated for November 25 will take place at Maramba Primary School in Uzumba Maramba
Pfungwe.
In an interview with this publication, Blantina Sangare an official from Mashonaland East Ministry of
Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development confirmed the
development and said as a province they are elated to host such a high profile event.
She said the event is an international annual campaign that coincides with the International Day of
Elimination of Violence against Women which falls on November 25 and runs until the Human Rights
Day on December 10.
The global theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is “UNITE!
Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls” and the National theme is "All lives matter! End
GBV Now!". This campaign is to serve as a call to everyone to take part in the prevention of gender
based violence killings, deaths and suicides as relayed by Sangare, adding that the theme was
adopted after witnessing a surge of GBV related deaths in the country.
She said that preparations for hosting the event are so far progressing well.
Sangare further stated that cases of gender based violence in Mashonaland East have been a cause
for concern and gave an example of a Mutoko man who recently butchered his wife with an okapi
knife accusing her of infidelity.
In another such case, a Mudzi man, under Chief Nyamukoho also committed suicide recently after
reportedly axing his wife following an undisclosed domestic dispute.
Such cases dovetail with the objectives of the campaign.
The campaign was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991
and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership.
It is used as an organising strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the
prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.