THE government is working on watertight measures to end gender-based violence and ensure the citizenry is protected at the community level and the workplace.
This came out at an event organised by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Harare this Monday.
Harare’s Reps Theatre came alive this Monday as the dialogue on preventative action against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment took centre stage.
“This was one of the most relaxed but serious engagements I have ever had. The use of play to depict some of the situations women and men face in their communities and workplaces has made the conversation easier and clearer on what sexual harassment is and how best it can be tackled to ensure everyone’s rights are not violated. Usually, women are the ones who face sexual harassment and gender-based violence but today through the play we see that even men too suffer but because of society they cannot report it for fear of being called a coward or not man enough,” United Nations Women country representative, said Ms Aminata Lo.
“This was highly interactive and eye-opening as people got to understand what tea is sexual harassment, especially in the workplace. The audience and actors’ engagement in classifying what is sexual harassment was epic and I hope this cascades to everyone in town and city so as to recognise the right of everyone to work free from violence and harassment,” noted Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation head of cooperation, Mr Stefano Berti.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa cast the spotlight on cultivating a culture of transparency.
“Our convening here bears testimony to the shared commitment towards the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and our desire to make every environment a safe place where human dignity is valued above everything else. Indeed, knowledge is power. You cannot prevent what you do not know. I am greatly delighted that you have chosen theatre as the mode for information dissemination. This approach leaves lasting memories among the audience and stimulates continued informal discussions around matters that are often avoided in formal and general discussions,” she said.
Switzerland’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Stefani Rey reiterated the need for concerted efforts in addressing sexual harassment and gender-based violence, “Initially the play was meant for the Swiss staff to raise awareness and ensure everyone is safe but we then thought why not take to the people and ensure everyone is enlightened. We remain committed to partnering with the Government of Zimbabwe in ensuring sexual harassment and gender-based violence is dealt with by putting in play policies and mechanisms that can enable a safe environment for everyone.”
According to the United Nations Centre for Research on Women, 50 per cent of women face the risk of sexual harassment, violence and discrimination in the workplace in their lifetime.