Protecting the girl child:Aligning Laws with customary practices.

By Hamu Madzedze

Online Health Editor -Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Association for Church -Related Hospitals (ZACH) emphasises the need to align national laws with customary practices to ensure comprehensive protection for all community members particularly the girl child.

Addressing journalists at ZACH's annual media conference the organisation's program manager Dr Chiwedzere Nzou highlighted the importance of educating minors and their guardians about the benefits of the recent amendment to the Criminal Law Code,which protects children aged 16-17 from sexual exploitation.

Initiated in January this year the interim law set the age of consent at 18 and this amendment was signed into law in September.

"While the recent legal advancements are significant they are only the beginning ,we must continue to educate our communities about the benefits of these laws and work together in protecting the community especially the girl child against GBV "said Dr Nzou

Despite legal advancements ,Dr Nzou stressed the need for continued awareness and education to protect women and girls from violence.

He noted that the silence around gender based violence is a critical issue as women fear reporting violence due to threats of divorce and community stigma leading to increased HIV risk and spread through rape.

"The silence around GBV is a critical issue and women fear reporting violence due to the threat of divorce and community stigma ,leading to increased HIV risk and virus spread through rape" he pointed out.

However, Dr Nzou highlighted the significant progress which has been made in addressing GBV issues through the Start Awareness Support Action (SASA) model.

The program's manager attributed SASA's success to its holistic approach to community engagement as traditional leaders including their spouses have become advocates for the model further amplifying the message and impact against GBV.

Dr Nzou said involving community leaders, activists , and institutions is key in creating a violent free community .

SASA is a community based program aimed at preventing violence against women and girls and promoting gender equality and in Zimbabwe it has been implemented in the following districts Bindura, Masvingo,Chimanimani,Kwekwe, Umguza and Umzingwane