Zanu-PF govt has failed to protect Zimbabwean women - MDC-N

The MDC has taken a sad note on the increase of women and children abuse country wide; and that of exploitation of the under aged as sex workers. On a daily basis, the media reports on several cases and incidents were a woman or child has been brutally murdered or raped or both, a grave abuse of human rights perpetrated by blatant lawless criminals.

Statistics have it that sexual and physical violence against women is on the increase in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe included. It hurts to learn that young girls as young as 9 years old are already exploited as sex workers in some parts of Zimbabwe.

According to the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC) 81.2 % of young women exploited as sex workers in Zimbabwe dropped out of school because of lack of school fees. Other factors behind this predicament include, but are not limited to financial need, familial poverty, orphan-hood and gender based violence.

Robert Mugabe's government should shoulder blame for failing to stage effective campaigns to curb violence against women; and for failing to develop policies and strategies that would ensure the safety of our women and children; and grant them protection from this social rot affecting our communities.

The heightened unemployment rate and the economic slump caused by the Zanu PF government has put several poverty stricken women in compromising situations, leaving them vulnerable to abuse. Also to blame are the corrupt law enforcement agents from both the judiciary and the police force who allow criminals to walk scot free after receiving bribes.

Women will forever remain an important part of our society and perpetrating violence against them prevents us from realising prospective socio-economic developments. Violence against women has tremendous costs, from greater health care and legal expenses and losses in productivity, impacting the national budget and overall development.

The MDC would like to call on civic societies and the society at large to embark on sustainable campaigns to fight the scourge of violence against women and children.

By working together as communities, through reinforced efforts we can ensure and affirm that our women and children are not subjected or exposed to any form of violence, prejudice or segregation. We will also be shaming those women who are guilty of perpetrating violence on other women like Grace Mugabe.

Let us all come together to effortlessly work to denounce an unjust patriarchal system that hinders development in our country.