Borehole marshals sexually abusing women

FAITH MADZINGA

Borehole marshals, who control access to water points in urban and rural areas, are sexually abusing women and girls, it has been learnt.

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) programmes manager, John Maketo said the marshals must be trained to be gender responsive. The perpetrators  must be arrested for such an offence.

“Community boreholes must remain for the benefit of the community. Women are the primary seekers and end users of water provision of such. (The marshals)  must be sensitive and responsive to women’s needs and safety,” Maketo said.

He said the local government through ward councils must ensure the safety of women at water points by providing security.

“There should also be a gender balance in that borehole marshals cannot only be male while overseeing a borehole primarily used by women.”

Maketo said ZIMCODD  continues to conduct social accountability and rights consciousness training in which community members are made aware of their rights including the right to water and sanitation.

He said every Zimbabwean has the right to safe, clean and potable water in line with section 77 of the Constitution.

In the long term, the government must construct dams to ensure availability of water in both urban and rural areas, Maketo said.

“Boreholes are not dangerous to the community. It is the poor management of the water points, which make them unsafe places for women to fetch water.  Existence of boreholes in urban areas shows governments failure in providing a regular supply of clean running tape water,” Maketo said.

ZIMCODD recently published the Briefing Paper on Gender Public Service Delivery with recommendations for policy makers to ensure the provision of quality gender public services like water, electricity and land.