Bubi, Zimbabwe, 30 September, 2024 - For many years Tjedza Mlilo* endured sexual abuse at the hands of her father with no knowledge of where to go to report the issue. She also feared what would happen if noone believed her or take her issue seriously.
Another survivor, an elderly woman Clara Dube* bore abuse at the hands of her son for many years unsure of what to do to end the abuse.
It has taken the interventions under the Women at the Centre project for both Clara and Tjedza to come out in the open and get much needed support and care.
“I only got the confidence to report after seeing how other survivors had received care and were in a much better place,” Tjedza shared.
With just a few months into implementation the Women at the Centre project, is already touching lives in Bubi district where its being piloted. Through UNFPA implementing partner, Musasa, women and girls are being reached with life saving services such as Mobile One Stop Centres. Through provision of services by mobile team a total number of 571 survivors (25 Males and 546 Females) have so far received services through mobile OSCs between July and September helping reach those most vulnerable and marginalised in the district.
The Mobile One Stop Centre has not only increased access to services but is has also improved women’s safety, psycho-social wellbeing, coping skills and restored their dignity. The psycho-social support provided empowered women and girls, enhancing their mental and emotional well-being.
Accessible at the community level, this support has transformative, particularly for those living in remote areas who often lack access to counselling services, legal support, post Gender Based Violence clinical care and access to justice.
By bringing these services directly to them, the programme has helped women and girls address trauma and heal from painful experiences. Survivors highlighted that the GBV mobile one-stop centers helped them to have confidence in reporting by providing comprehensive and integrated services under one roof.
Even in these early stages, the project has been instrumental in breaking the silence around GBV by encouraging communities to report incidents due to increased confidence in strengthened reporting systems. This demonstrates the profound impact of improving safe and confidential reporting mechanisms within communities. The provision of cash for emergency protection further facilitated access to higher levels of care, making this intervention comprehensive and focused on ensuring survivors receive all necessary services.
“This programme really saved my life and restored my dignity which I had lost in this community,” said Dube.
The Women at the Centre project is supported by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. This four-year initiative (2023-2026) focuses on strengthening GBV case management systems nationwide. It aims to increase the quality and accessibility of services for all survivors, with particular emphasis on marginalised groups like women and girls with disabilities, key populations, and adolescent girls. In the coming months, standardised in service training for case managers like those that have assisted Tjedza and Clara, will be rolled out with technical assistance from the Zimbabwe Council of Social Workers and academic institutions under the leadership and coordination of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises Development. The standardised training package will further enhance the capacity to offer comprehensive care and support to survivors of GBV.
With these early gains it is envisaged that this support will continue touching and changing the lives of women and girls such as Tjedza and Clara.
*Real name hidden
