Commemoration of the 16 days of Activism against GBV in Matobo – Day 1
On the 2nd and 3rd of December 2021 Justice Code Foundation had activities in Maphisa- Matobo rural in commemoration of the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence. The activities were conducted in partnership with the Matobo Youth Development Initiative (MYDI). Different activities including offering free legal aid services, awareness campaigns and peer education were conducted in the rural communities of Bulawayo. Matobo is a mining area with high mining activities of artisanal miners. It is also on the border lines of South Africa and also Botswana.
1st day (2nd of December 2021)
On the 2nd of December 2021 Justice Code Foundation in collaboration with MYDI, Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture and the Matobo Rural District Council conducted a peer education meeting with women, young girls and the youth of Matobo. The meeting was anchored on educating Matobo women, young girls, and the youth, on the causes of Gender Based Violence, the forms of Gender Based Violence, the remedies available to a survivor of gender based violence and the channels that a victim can follow to protect themselves.
The meeting started at around 10 am and we had an attendance of about 40 people, comprised of 17 married women, 11 girls and 12 boys. After the introductory remarks from Descent Dube, Mr Courtney Mukoyi from Justice Code Foundation gave his presentation and he highlighted the forms GBV which included sexual, emotional, physical and psychological violence. Soon after his presentation the audience was asked for questions and people had a lot of questions. With a lot of questions coming in, women were concerned with equality of parties in a marriage. With the help of Justice Code Foundation’s legal team these questions were addressed with Mr Benjamin Makono informing the participants that our constitutions recognise the equality of parties in a marriages during its subsistence and at its dissolution.
More questions were asked were asked by the participants and the chair had to break and make it an appointment that some of the questions would be asked the following day. A representative from the Matobo Rural District Council was given the chance and she gave a small speech before people went for lunch. While people were being served lunch Mr Donald Maguduru and Mrs Babongile Ncube had a chance to ask the participants question on what have been deliberated during the meeting. The ones who got the questions correct were awarded t-shirts carrying a message to do with gender based violence. We later had a performance from the local poets and singers on Gender Based Violence.
