By Tendai Guvamombe
In a move to reduce cases of intimate partner violence, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission is leveraging on High Level Compact to address gender based violence cases across the country.
The High Level Compact to End Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices in Zimbabwe (HLPC) 2021-2030 was launched by President Emerson Mnangagwa in 2021. It also serves as a High Level Political Compact envisioned as a national strategy to prevent gender based violence between 2021 and 2030.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission Chairperson Dr Leslie Ncube revealed this at Press Conference on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Harare where he unpacked the usefulness of the strategy in the efforts to end gender based violence in the country.
“The continued prevalence of IPV demonstrates the need to strengthen implementation and prevention mechanisms. In response to this situation, and also as one of the multi-stakeholder signatories to the High Level Compact to End Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices in Zimbabwe (HLPC) 2021-2030 launched by His Excellency, the President Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, in 2021
Zimbabwe’s High-Level Political Compact is also closely linked with the National Strategy to Prevent and Address GBV (2023-2030).”
The strategy resonates well with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 30 towards an upper middle-income economy where all forms of gender based violence will either be reduced or completely phased out.
” The overarching goal of the HLPC roadmap is the complete eradication of sexual violence, child marriage, and IPV by 2030, anchored by localized operational benchmarks:
20% to 30% Absolute Reduction: The operational strategy aims for a minimum 20% to 30% reduction in the overall national prevalence of all forms of gender-based and intimate partner violence by 2030,” he added.
Dr Ncube highlighted the need to realign national budget allocation as a measure to strengthen sustainable finance mechanisms in tackling gender based violence in the country.
“Reallocating National Budget Responsibility: A primary goal is structural and financial sustainability. The compact outlines targets to move away from a 90% heavy donor-funded GBV model to progressively higher domestic financing allocations via gender-responsive budgeting.”
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission continues to call for multi-stakeholder corporation in the fight against gender based violence in the country. These include government, development partners, traditional leaders, media and communities.
