Young women call for increase in resource allocation to VFUs

Young women in Bulawayo have called for the increase of manpower and allocation of more resources to the Victim Friendly Units (VFU) of all police stations, as a way of facilitating easier reporting of cases of gender-based violence.

Speaking at a young women's round table meeting to commemorate 16 days of activism against gender based violence, the young women said that although the introduction of the VFUs by government was a noble idea, a lot still needed to be done, particularly with regards to channelling more resources to the unit to make it more efficient.

The young women lamented the fact that the VFU are the only friendly police officers to the extent that in their absence it is difficult to make reports of gender based violence. They emphasised the need to extend the VFU training to all other police officers so that it becomes easier for survivors of gender based violence to make police reports without fear of victimisation.

Addressing the young women on this year's theme for the 16 days of activism against gender based violence; Cleopatra Ndlovu said that Zimbabwe had a shockingly high budget for the defence forces for a country that is not at war. The high budget allocation, she said, was at the expense of critical issues such as health and education, to which women bear the brunt if service is poor.

"After all it is those people who are in the defence forces who perpetrate all forms of violence against women particularly during election periods in Zimbabwe and those guns that they get from work are being used to threaten their wives at home," she said. Although the young women were complaining that they are not being given the space to take leadership, they were encouraged to create that space for themselves and desist from tolerating sexual abuse for other gains but rather to work their way to the top.

Also of major concern to young women was the unlevel political ground that makes it difficult for the participation of young women. They said that there was a need for government to set aside a fund for young women in politics to enhance their participation since lack of representation of women in politics would mean poor representation of women's issues.

"We appreciate the women's wing in politics but that does not mean we should not be given space in the main wing where the major decisions are made," said one of the participants who was representing a political party.

Speaking during the conference, Mrs Belinda Ncube said that there was also a need to celebrate the contributions of those women who have managed to attain leadership positions in society as a way of inspiring young people. She said that a number of women have made serious contributions to society be it in politics or the economy but their works go unnoticed because no one bothers to talk about them. She said it is up to fellow women to make sure such role models are given the recognition they deserve.

The young women's roundtable was held by the National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) in commemoration of 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence. This year it was held under the theme: "From peace in the home to peace in the world: challenging militarism and violence against women." Part of the objectives were to produce a mass of resilient, self determined young women who will effectively participate in socio-economic and political processes in Zimbabwe, strengthen the capacities of NYDT gender focal persons at ward level as well as to come up with recommendations to improve NYDT programming into better serving young women.