Govt launches project to support GBV survivors

Zim Now Writer

The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development yesterday launched the Women at the Centre Project that focuses on providing support to survivors of gender-based violence.

The project, which will last for four years, is sponsored by a Japanese pharmaceutical company through the United Nations.

Zimbabwe, Indonesia, El Salvador, Azerbaijan and Madagascar are participating in the project.

Speaking at the launch, Women’s Affairs minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the GBV Case Management System aims to address the needs of GBV survivors.

Mutsvangwa said the support came at an opportune time as the government was focused on operationalising a GBV policy framework.

In Zimbabwe, the project will be piloted in Matabeleland North’s Bubi District before being spread to other provinces.

“Piloting in a district such as Bubi will inform us of the realities faced by survivors accessing services, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

“This gives a true reflection that we can replicate across the country in line with the country’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind,” she said.

UNFPA country representative, Miranda Tabifor, said the project will also empower women.

“It is not just about responding to GBV; it’s about preventing it. By empowering women, addressing their needs, and building strong support systems, we can create a safer and more just future for all,” Tabifor said.

GBV continues to be a hazard with at least 16 444 cases of GBV and 31 deaths having been recorded last year with men cited as the main perpetrators.

According to UNFPA, about one in three women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence and about one in four women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 in Zimbabwe.