By Caleb Chikwawawa
Women Affairs minister Monica Mutsvangwa has commended the establishment of the Zivo/Ulwazi Feminist Hub in Murewa in line with the country’s women’s empowerment initiatives supported by development partners.
She was officiating at the launch of the project, established under Rozaria Memorial Trust (RMT), which seeks to create opportunities for marginalised young women and girls through education, health and entrepreneurship.
Mutsvangwa said the hubs were community-based sources of feminist knowledge which were helping bridge the gender gap.
The minister said the project was set to become a “one-stop information centre in Murewa for women and girls wanting to access knowledge on empowerment, Gender Based Violence, Sexual and reproductive health and any other information that concern them”.
RMT has facilitated the opening of knowledge hubs in four centres namely Bindura, Bulawayo, Harare and lately Murewa.
The feminist hubs were made possible with support from the UN Women and the European Union under the Spotlight Initiative Programme which partnered with Local Civil Society Organisations.
Knowledge hub centres have also been created in Bindura, Bulawayo and Harare.
Mutsvangwa said the concept helped promote women empowerment and advance gender equality.
“These knowledge hubs will be crucial as they provide a comprehensive and integrated platform for all individuals and organisations to access and share knowledge related to Violence against Women and Girls and they will provide an easy access to evidence-based research, best practices, and resources to advance gender equality and promote women’s empowerment,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa outlined a host of interventions that have been put in place by government to address the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices.
These include criminalising marriage of children below the age of 18 and the enactment of the Domestic Violence Act (2007) which addresses domestic violence in all its forms.
