Gender-based violence (GBV) is not just a private tragedy, it is a public crisis that reflects the deep-rooted inequalities in our society. In Zimbabwe, and across Africa, women and girls continue to suffer at the hands of intimate partners, relatives, and even institutions meant to protect them. The time for rhetorical commitment has long passed; what we now need is resolute action.
Recent reports indicate that Zimbabwe’s GBV prevalence rate stands at a staggering 40%, ten percentage points above the global average. This figure is not just a statistic; it represents shattered lives, lost futures, and intergenerational trauma. While the government’s launch of the 2023–2030 National Strategy to Prevent and Address GBV is commendable, strategies without consistent implementation risk becoming another file in bureaucratic drawers.
Efforts such as the “Women at the Centre” project in Matabeleland North and the establishment of safe spaces in Manicaland are crucial. They signal a shift towards survivor-centered care, integrated service delivery, and a community-based approach. But isolated projects cannot solve a systemic problem. They must be scaled nationally, backed by consistent funding, trained personnel, and political will.
Internationally, the picture is equally grim. From Sudan, where over 200 children have been victims of sexual violence in conflict zones, to Nigeria, where activists are calling for a state of emergency over GBV, the pattern is clear: violence against women and girls is pervasive, normalized, and inadequately addressed. Even in relatively stable regions like Algeria, femicide is rising while government action remains muted.
Faith and community-based organizations are increasingly stepping up where governments fall short. Initiatives like “Transforming Masculinities” in the DRC and “Hurukuro for GBV Prevention” in Zimbabwe demonstrate the power of cultural and spiritual tools in changing harmful norms. But they too need support and legal backing to operate effectively.
At the heart of this issue is patriarchy, a system that permits abuse to persist under the guise of tradition, culture, or religion. It is a system that blames victims, shields perpetrators, and devalues the voices of survivors. If we are serious about ending GBV, we must challenge these power structures head-on.
This is a national emergency. Just as we mobilize for pandemics or elections, we must mobilize to protect the dignity and rights of women and girls. Parliament must pass stronger laws, the police must enforce them impartially, and communities must speak out without fear. Men, especially, must move from silence to solidarity, from bystanders to allies.
Gender-based violence is not inevitable. It is preventable. But prevention requires more than policies, it requires conviction. Zimbabwe cannot wait for another tragedy to act decisively. Let this be the generation that says: enough is enough.
