Parliament has called on the government to establish one-stop centres for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in all provincial and district hospitals by the end of 2026, following a benchmark visit to Rwanda that highlighted gaps in Zimbabwe’s gender-response systems. Presenting the Report of the Joint Thematic Committee on Gender and Development and the Portfolio Committee on Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in the Senate, Midlands Province Senator Sisasenkosi Ndebele said Zimbabwe must urgently adopt proven strategies from Rwanda’s model to meet national development goals. The Ministry of Women Affairs in 2024 established a one-stop-center for GBV victims at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo province, where victims can get assistance at the same place.
Sen Ndebele said the committees observed that Rwanda’s success in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) stemmed from political commitment, enforced legal frameworks, effective institutions and holistic strategies. “At least by 31 December, 2026, in all provincial and district hospitals in Zimbabwe, the government through these ministries, should establish one stop centres where victims of gender based violence, sexual harassment and rape will report and access services such as investigations, treatment, counselling and safe shelter to avoid compromise of evidence and injustice,” she said. Senator for Matabeleland South, Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa, backed the report, highlighting that Zimbabwe continues to lag behind due to institutional weaknesses.
“We suffer from weak institutional coordination, inadequate resources for gender organs, limited enforcement of land and inheritance rights, barriers to finance for women entrepreneurs, under-resourced GBV response systems and poor grassroots mobilisation structures,” Sen Mlotshwa said. She lamented the fragmented GBV response system, saying some survivors are failed by the lack of integrated services. “In Zimbabwe, we rely heavily on non-governmental organisations like Musasa and survivors run between clinics, police, hospital and courts.
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Evidence is lost, trauma increases, justice collapses. This is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy that claims to protect women,” Sen Mlotshwa said. She also supported the proposed HeForShe campaign, emphasising that lasting progress requires active engagement from men.
“We cannot fix gender inequality if men remain on the sidelines. Gender is a societal issue, not a women’s issue,” she said.
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