News / National
25% women has experienced sexual violence
23 Mar 2013 at 05:46hrs | Views
UNITED Nations High Commission for Refugees Zimbabwe representative Marcelin Hepie has revealed that one in every four women in Zimbabwe has experienced sexual violence.
Hepie said this in Harare yesterday during commemorations of International Women's Day.
She said cases of gender inequality, violence against women and girls were of major concern in Zimbabwe.
"According to the 2011 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, one in every four women have reported that they had experienced sexual violence, and one in three women aged 15 to 49 years have experienced physical violence since the age of 15," said Hepie.
"If violence against women and girls is interpreted in economic terms, according to a 2009 study by the Swedish International Development Agency, the aggregate cost in Zimbabwe was estimated at $2 billion."
Statistics reveal that an estimated seven in 10 women are beaten, raped, abused, or mutilated in their lifetime – and most of this violence takes place in intimate relationships.
According to the United Nations, women in Zimbabwe were also under-represented in political decision-making, with their numbers in Parliament far below the African Union and Sadc target of 50% women.
Hepie said the UN had developed national programmes and initiatives in conjunction with the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development to improve gender equality and curb violence against women and girls.
These include the development of the National Gender-Based Violence Strategy, development of an integrated support programme for sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention for 2012 to 2015.
Other support initiatives include studies and surveys on gender-based violence information management systems, production of a simplified family law handbook, access to justice support to more than 3 000 women, support for victim-friendly courts and clinics, as well as addressing issues of women's access to finance.
Hepie said this in Harare yesterday during commemorations of International Women's Day.
She said cases of gender inequality, violence against women and girls were of major concern in Zimbabwe.
"According to the 2011 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, one in every four women have reported that they had experienced sexual violence, and one in three women aged 15 to 49 years have experienced physical violence since the age of 15," said Hepie.
"If violence against women and girls is interpreted in economic terms, according to a 2009 study by the Swedish International Development Agency, the aggregate cost in Zimbabwe was estimated at $2 billion."
Statistics reveal that an estimated seven in 10 women are beaten, raped, abused, or mutilated in their lifetime – and most of this violence takes place in intimate relationships.
According to the United Nations, women in Zimbabwe were also under-represented in political decision-making, with their numbers in Parliament far below the African Union and Sadc target of 50% women.
Hepie said the UN had developed national programmes and initiatives in conjunction with the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development to improve gender equality and curb violence against women and girls.
These include the development of the National Gender-Based Violence Strategy, development of an integrated support programme for sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention for 2012 to 2015.
Other support initiatives include studies and surveys on gender-based violence information management systems, production of a simplified family law handbook, access to justice support to more than 3 000 women, support for victim-friendly courts and clinics, as well as addressing issues of women's access to finance.
Source - Newsday
