Gold Mining fuels GBV crisis, Says Chief Negomo

Runodada Witness

ZimNow reporter

Gold mining activities are contributing to the rise of early marriages and gender-based violence (GBV) in Zimbabwe, according to Chief Negomo. He emphasized that gold miners, once they acquire wealth, often seek relationships with young women, leading to social issues in communities.

This concern was raised during the Love Shouldn't Hurt campaign held in Mazowe District. The campaign was organized by Population Solutions for Health (PSH) in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, with support from the Embassy of Sweden. The initiative aligns with the global theme 16 Days, 16 Chiefs, 16 Commitments Against GBV, which focuses on engaging male perpetrators of violence and promoting behavioral change.

Director of PSH, Noah Taruberekera, highlighted the significance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The international campaign, running annually from November 25 to December 10, unites communities worldwide in remembrance of women affected by GBV and emphasizes the urgent need to address the issue.

Sweden’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Per Lindgärde, shared alarming statistics during the campaign. Globally, a woman is killed every ten minutes, and in Zimbabwe, 22 women are raped daily. Additionally, one woman is abused every 75 minutes, and approximately 646 women are sexually abused monthly. One in three girls under the age of 18 is married, illustrating the gravity of early child marriages in the country.

“As leaders, you can encourage families to ensure that girls and boys stay in school and complete their education,” Lindgärde urged. He emphasized the importance of teaching equality and dignity to foster respect and prevent GBV. Lindgärde also reaffirmed Sweden's commitment to combating GBV and child marriages through initiatives like the Love Shouldn’t Hurt and Give Me a Chance campaigns, which aim to empower women and rally men to become agents of change.

Senator Chief Chikwaka, in an interview with ZimNow, stressed the importance of empowering women and protecting both genders from violence. He lamented the erosion of cultural values, stating that the adoption of Western culture is contributing to the breakdown of traditional practices that once safeguarded communities