The Christian denominations represented by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches have called on all community structures to work hand in hand towards the elimination of all forms of violence and child marriages in Zimbabwe.

Speaking during the Chiefs Indaba on Sexual Gender Based Violence and Child marriages, currently underway in Nyanga, Zimbabwe Council of Churches Vice President Bishop Enock Ruwona reiterated the need for church leaders to work closely with traditional leaders, government departments and development partners in communities to end all forms of violence and child marriages.

“The church has a role to play so does the traditional institutions that make our communities in complimenting Government of Zimbabwe’s efforts to end all forms of violence and child marriages in Zimbabwe.”

The onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic affected Zimbabwe as a nation socially, economically and culturally. This has also seen a rise in the number of violence and child marriage cases.

FACT Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development with support from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) United States Agency for International Development Zimbabwe (USAID) and other development partners who include Plan International Zimbabwe, AIDS Health care Foundation, Women and Law of Southern Africa and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches have brought traditional leaders from across Manicaland province to deliberate on the possible solutions to end gender based violence and child marriages in the province.

In relation to development, violence and child marriages drastically affect prospects of national growth. Complimenting government of Zimbabwe’s efforts, FACT Zimbabwe through various initiatives seek to address gender based violence and child marriages through raising awareness, providing legal services, keeping the girl child in school and supporting sustainable livelihoods to survivors