Safe market unveiled in Epworth

CHENGETAI MURIMWA

Government in partnership with the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and Epworth Local Board, last week unveiled a Safe Market and One Stop Centre as part of  joint efforts to end violence against women and girls.

The opening of the Safe Market Space and the One Stop Centre in Epworth coincided with the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence that will take place under a localised theme “End Violence Against Women Now: No to child marriages!”

The safe market  comprises  96 secure, well-lit stalls, children’s resting room and play area, separate female, and male ablution facilities, and clean water facilities.

Speaking at the launch of the Safe market Centre, the  Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development deputy minister Jennifer Mhlanga said economic empowerment of women was integral to any sustainable approach to eradicating violence against women.

“Studies show that women who control their own resources are less vulnerable,” Mhlanga said.

High levels of sexual and gender-based violence in Zimbabwe have been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and the protracted national lockdowns.

The Covid-19 crisis has also resulted in increased school dropouts, resulting in increased early marriages and a consequent alarming increase in teenage pregnancies.

The Safe Market Model facilitates women’s economic empowerment, leadership, and security within public spaces by advancing Zero Tolerance to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Head of EU Development Cooperation, Frank Porte said, “The EU fully aligns and supports Zimbabwe’s theme this year. This constitutes a harmful practice that violates the rights of the child and robs children of their childhood and in most cases, results in increased poverty.”

The One Stop Centre addresses a number of challenges related to SGBV service access, by providing multi-sectoral services, including health, psychosocial, safety and security, and legal under one roof in a survivor centred manner.

Noting that the two projects showcased and many other programmes across the country were supported by the joint EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls.

The UN resident coordinator, Alex Gasasira, thanked the Ministry of Women Affairs for their leadership, the European Union for the generous financial and technical commitment, and the civil society organisations and local authorities for their continued efforts and partnership.

“The right policies and programmes bring results. That means comprehensive, long-term strategies that tackle the root causes of violence, protect the rights of women and girls, and promote strong and autonomous women’s rights movements.

These two projects opened today and many other programmes across the country, including the recently launched High Level Compact to end violence against women and girls are models that the UN has built through its partnership with the EU.”

Since the launch of the Spotlight Initiative in 2019, some 3.8m beneficiaries, including 2.3m women and girls, in Zimbabwe have received various services.