By Elishamai A Ziumbwa
The country is facing a sharp escalation in technology-facilitated gender-based violence, the Deputy Minister of Women Affairs has warned as the country launched its annual 16 Days of Activism Against GBV campaign.
Speaking at the national launch, Deputy Minister Jennifer Mhlanga said the rapid expansion of digital footprint had opened new fronts for abuse, with cases of cyberstalking, online harassment and digital exploitation rising particularly among young women.
“This year’s theme, Unite! To End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls reflects the urgency of tackling online abuse. With more of our social, economic and political activities shifting online, digital spaces have become new battlegrounds for gender-based violence,” said Mhlanga
She cautioned that digital violence is now as widespread and harmful as offline abuse cutting across all socio-economic and cultural divides.
She cited early findings from a World Bank and UNFPA-supported study on the economic cost of GBV noting that the impact reaches far beyond individual suffering.
“GBV is not only a social issue but an economic burden to the individual, the family, the workplace, the community and the nation at large. Zimbabwe cannot achieve its upper-middle income aspirations when half of its population is affected by violence,” she said.
The Deputy Minister also called for stronger national data systems to better capture digital forms of abuse commending the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency for introducing a dedicated module on technology-facilitated GBV.
“These findings will help us better understand the gravity of this form of violence,” she said.
Mhlanga stressed that the campaign must not be confined to the annual 16-day period.
“Protecting women and girls is an everyday commitment. Digital spaces must be safe for all,” she said.
