12-member Domestic Violence Council appointed

Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Dr Olivia Muchena has appointed a 12-member Domestic Violence Council to facilitate the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.

The appointments are in line with provisions of the Act.

Padare/Enkundleni Men's Forum national director Mr Kelvin Hazangwi will lead the council.

His deputy is Ms Sylvia Chirawu, the Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) national co-ordinator.

Other members are Mrs Margaret Nyandoro, who will represent the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare; Mrs Caroline Matizha (Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development); Assistant Commissioner Isabela Sergio (Zimbabwe Republic Police Victim Friendly Unit); Mrs Agnes Mutowo (Ministry of Labour and Social Services), Mr Bigboy Mashayamombe, (Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture); Mr Brighton Pabwe (Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs); Women's Action Group director Mrs Edna Masiyiwa;

Musasa Project director Mrs Netty Musanhu; Bishop Trevor Manhanga and Mrs Petronella Nenjerama of the Justice and Children Trust.

Mr Hazangwi is a human rights and social justice activist who also chairs the Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Rights Action Team (Saywhat) board of trustees.

He also sits on the boards of the Women in Land (Zimbabwe) and the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development.

A lawyer by profession, Ms Chirawu sits on various boards and has vast experience in gender as well as international protection of women and children's rights.

She has written extensively on women, human trafficking, HIV and Aids and the law.

The council is charged with, among other tasks:

 - Taking all steps to disseminate information and increasing the awareness of the public on issues of domestic violence;

  - Promoting research into the problem of domestic violence;

  - Promoting the provision of services necessary to deal with all aspects of domestic violence and monitor their effectiveness;

  - Monitoring the application and enforcement of this Act and any other law relevant to issues of domestic violence;

  - Promoting the establishment of safe houses for the purpose of sheltering the victims of domestic violence, including their children and dependants, pending the outcome of court proceedings under this Act;

  - Promoting the provision of support services for complainants where the respondent who was the source of support for the complainant and her or his dependants has been imprisoned; and

  - Doing anything necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

Zimbabwe passed the Domestic Violence Act in 2006 to protect domestic violence victims.

According to the country's 2005-2006, Demographic Health Survey, one third of all women have experienced physical violence since they were 15 years old. Of these, 47 percent reported their former husband or partner as the perpetrator and 12 percent, their mother or step-mother.

A total of 25 percent of women reported they have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.