SECOND ANNUAL SOUTHERN AFRICA LOCAL

GOVERNMENT AND GENDER JUSTICE

SUMMIT AND AWARDS
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

28 – 30 MARCH 2011
KOPANONG HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA
“365 DAYS OF LOCAL ACTION TO END GENDER
VIOLENCE: HALVE GENDER VIOLENCE BY 2015”

SUPPORTING GBV VICTIMS

 HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING
THIS PROBLEM?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

• I was ALERTED BY THE NEIGHBOURS of Rosina

Murovedzi. They informed me that Rosina’s
husband was continually physically abusing her.

• I investigated the case and discovered that

ROSINA AND HER THREE CHILDREN WERE
INCARCERATED BY THE POLICE, even though she
had been a victim of gender based violence.

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 ROSINA
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

Rosina without her front teeth.

Her teeth were removed by her husband and he damaged her
house

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 HOW ARE YOU GOING ABOUT ADDRESSING
THIS PROBLEM?
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• I APPROACHED SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS AND JUDICIARY

PERSONNEL for explanations as to why Rosina’s issue had
not been addressed professionally. They apologised for
what had transpired and promised to ensure similar issues
do not arise.
• I also ENSURED THAT ROSINA FOUND A NEW HOME for
herself and her children and helped her to rent out two
rooms to police officers for security reasons.
• As a consequence of the actions I took, women in the
community now know that it is possible to challenge
gender-based violence.

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 IS THIS ISSUE IMPORTANT?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

• The issue is important. It highlights the fact that the

police can be impartial when it comes to dealing with
gender related issues. in this case, the police chose to
take the husband’s side, despite the abuse that had
been suffered by the wife.

• The case also shows that it is possible for the victims

of gender-based violence to suffer further abuse
because of stereotypes that may exist with those
persons in positions of power.

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 WHAT IS THE TIME-FRAME FOR THE PROJECT?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

• The project took six months to complete,

mainly due to lack of impartiality by some
law enforcement personnel and Judicial
officers.

• The husband also failed to cooperate with

the wife. On more than one occasion, he
failed to appear for court hearings.

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 WHO IS THE KEY TARGET? WHO IS INVOLVED?
ARE WOMEN AND MEN EQUALLY INVOLVED?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

The key targets of the project were Rosina and her

children.  

There are four main parties involved.

 
•The victims-Rosina and her three children,
•The perpetrator-The husband
•The husband’s accomplices-Sections of the Police and
Judiciary
•Gender Champions-Myself and gender pressure groups

Both men and women were involved in the Rosina case.

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 PARTNERSHIPS FORMED THROUGH THE
PROJECT
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Strong partnership were formed with,

 
1. The District Police Officer-who supported our initiative to get
justice served for Rosina and her children
2. The Senior Prosecutor-who stopped the court case that could
have sent Rosina to jail. She ordered investigations to be re-
performed.
3. Female Sergeant Mazarire-Victim friendly unit of the Z.R.P
4. The Resident Magistrate-who carried out an investigation into
why Rosina was no granted a peace order
5. Women’s groups
6. Men’s Groups

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 RESOURCEFULNESS: WHAT FINANCIAL, HUMAN
AND OTHER RESOURCES WERE MOBILISED?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

• No financial resources were used during the Rosina

case. Only human resources were employed.

• Financial resources were scarce, but human

resources were readily available.
 

NAME OF GOOD PRACTISE

 MONITORING AND EVALUATION
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Monitoring and Evaluation is possible through regular visits to,

•Rosina and her children-to ensure that the abuse does not continued
•The Police Station where the incident took place-to make sure similar
incidents do not happen again
•Court sessions-which involve Rosina and her husband

The purpose of the visits is to ensure that the husband does not
interfere in Rosina’s life and is not manipulating the Judicial system.
 

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 WHAT RESULTS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

The major results achieved include,

• Rosina and her children now have a safe home to stay in.
• Other victims who are facing similar fates are now
approaching me for assistance to address similar cases
• The Police Force and the Magistrates office is now more
cooperative with gender based violence victims

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 IMPACT (BASED ON THE SADC PROTOCOL
TARGETS)
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

The target that I adopted was:

 
“HALVE THE CURRENT LEVELS OF G.B.V BY 2015”

and
 
“365 DAYS OF LOCAL ACTION TO END G.B.V.”
 

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 EFFECTIVENESS
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• The project is very effective, especially in a small town

like Chiredzi, where news travels fast. The community is
now aware that there are consequences for gender
based violence.

• After the District Police Officer was informed of the

Rosina case, an instruction was given to junior Police
Officers to take gender violence cases seriously or face
serious consequences. Police Officers are now more
likely to address gender based violence with
impartially.

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 SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION
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• The project can be sustained and replicated

because of the commitment of the women’s
and men’s groups involved.

• Reinforcement may also be necessary

through regular workshops and campaigns
that target Gender Based Violence.

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 LESSONS LEARNED
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• If normal channels for addressing gender-based-

violence have deliberate man-made obstacles,
these obstacles should never be allowed to hinder
attempts to seek justice for aggrieved parties.

• If gender based violence awareness programmes

are made public, the community will become
informed on how to address cases of gender based
violence.

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 ANY QUESTIONS?
PROJECTS:SUPPORT

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