Women’s Coalition Of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) national Chairperson Evernice Munando has revealed that the continued existence of patriarchal cultural traditions and norms is drawing back the fight against gender-based violence in Zimbabwe.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the WCOZ Kwekwe chapter launch which coincided with the launch of 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, Munando said WCOZ is advocating for a change of the existing unbalanced gender systems that are triggered by patriarchy in Zimbabwe.
“The message of ending GBV is getting to the people but the problem is on our socialization as a nation.
“We are still living under patriarchal, cultural and societal practices influenced by traditional norms and values. Unless and until we do family transformation where we are going to unlearn these cultural principles that have engraved our societies we are not going to reach anywhere so in our advocacy work as WCOZ we are taking that as a serious issue,” said Munando.
In addition, Munando highlighted some of the violence and drivers for violence against women that exist in the Zimbabwean society.
“Poor service delivery such as lack of water supply and unavailability of sanitary wear is violence against women and even poverty leads to violence against women because we have realized that parents are marrying off their children because of poverty.”
During the same occasion, one of the members of WCOZ Edwick Madzimure urged women to support each other and get rid of the ‘pull her down’ syndrome which is dragging progress in the rise of women to take up leadership roles.
“There is violence against women perpetrated by men but there is also violence against women by fellow women. Women do not support each other but they pull each other down so let us learn to love and support each other as women,” said Madzimure.
