GLOBALLY, gender-based violence is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality and continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies.
In this case, close analysis will show that violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world regardless of a country's advanced technology and life. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
For that matter, gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and even death, implying it is a collective responsibility of the government and its citizens to address as an entity.
When reading media reports globally, we see that every year, countless women and children flee violence at home and take an uncertain journey in the hope of finding safety in a new country. While many escape conflict zones or generalised human-rights abuses, some also run from more intimate forms of violence-namely, sexual and domestic violence perpetrated by men. However, setting off on the journey is no guarantee of safety; many are vulnerable to gender-based abuse in transit and even at destination.
This can prompt one to ask-who benefits from this dehumanising crime? A precise answer will not be sought, implying that any rational and God-fearing person should see the essence of fighting it.
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In a nutshell, State leaders should be supported for braving to remind the public that it is illegal and belittling to subject any woman or girl to any form of violence and what follows is calling upon the law enforcement organs to be tough and conclude cases their cases as soon as possible. This should go along discouraging settlement of such cases at family level, because they encourage 'business as usual' culture that does not address it.
It is wise to support Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa's stance that there should be no excuse for the perpetrators, be it parents, guardians or family members and instead they must be taken to task for would-be other perpetrators to learn a lesson from those already jailed.
Just try to imagine that between January and December last year, there were 11,499 cases, with rape and defilement topping the list and we still want to pardon the perpetrators and expect to fight the menace.
This is a serious case that should not be taken for granted and laughed off that is why in every Police Station, there is a Gender Desk to fight the abuse because the police alone can stop this, unless everyone helps in its address.
