Grace Mugabe the biggest violator in fight against gender based violence

The MDC Women Assembly joins the rest of the world in commemorating the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence which runs from the 25 November to 10 December annually.

This year's theme, Peace in the home to peace in the world: Make education safe for all, finds us as we are grappled with the battle to bring an end to child marriages and reducing the rising statistics of rape. Both these scourges have a profoundly negative effect on education, especially on the girl child.

Gender based violence remains a cause for concern in our societies and women and children continue to suffer violence and abuse in various forms including physically, sexually, emotionally, psychologically and economically. Its ugly face and the level of brutality makes it all the more deadly because it knows no age, colour, or gender and not only leaves permanent marks in society but also leads to family breakdown and ruining of lives. As MDC we believe that no human development can be achieved as long as women and girls continue to suffer from violence and live in fear of it, hence we take it upon ourselves to strengthen efforts to do all we can to bring an end to gender based violence in Zimbabwe. Central to MDC's founding principles and core values is a commitment to gender equality, the empowerment of women and equality and freedom for everyone in the country.

It is in the primitive societies where women are either always blamed for being raped or not believed and hence tend to suffer in silence with no opportunity for recourse resulting in their human rights being trampled on, on a daily basis. It is against this background that we find recent statements by Grace Mugabe in which she insinuates that the way women dress is to blame for them getting raped. Such reckless statements from people viewed as leaders of the nation tend to perpetuate sexual abuse against women and school going children. It is shocking that a whole First lady of a nation can display such insensitivity and ignorance when latest statistics are showing that on average, 300 cases of rape are recorded monthly in this country. It is clear that as a nation we must redouble our efforts to raise awareness against and stamp out gender violence, starting from the higher levels of society right down to the grassroots in order to change mindsets about gender based violence. Violence against women and girls is never right, acceptable or justifiable.  

As MDC, led by Professor Welshman Ncube, while welcoming the 16 Days campaign against gender based violence, we believe that it should not be just a 16 days' campaign but one that runs 365 days a year with all sectors of society speaking in one voice to fight this scourge. A free and fair Zimbabwe is possible and it begins with bringing an end to pervasive violence in the home, school and workplace and respecting the rights of all.