Relevant debate:
+HON. MATHE: My question is directed to the Leader of the House. Since today is a day of women’s activism, may the Minister tell us what measures have they put in place to protect women who are being abused? How are these women going to disengage from such marriages? What is Government policy on that, how can they be assisted?
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Madam Speaker. Hon. Biti has divorced several wives and I do not know why he is bringing his personal issues to the House – [Laughter.] – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – Do not throw stones when you are living in stone houses, what is the problem? – [HON. T. MLISWA: Tokufumurai mese, vakarooora nyararai vari single vataure] –
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Hon. Mliswa, why are you doing that?
HON. ZIYAMBI: Hon. Biti, I am going to disclose your issues if you want to be rude and not acknowledge that we have a Chair. I think he needs to respect the Chair and if he has issues, it is unbecoming of an Hon. Member. It is very bad.
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HON. DR. KHUPE: On a point of order Madam Speaker. Thank you very much Madam Speaker. Today is a Wednesday where every Zimbabwean is glued on the television to listen to Hon. Members whilst they ask questions to Ministers pertaining to their concerns and we cannot go on like this Madam Speaker. I would like to appeal to Hon. Members of Parliament so that we utilise Wednesday to the maximum for the benefit of the people out there. I appeal to you Hon. Members.
THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Khupe, the Leader of the Opposition, especially to male Hon. Members, please your behaviour leaves a lot to be desired, it is unacceptable. Hon. Leader of the House, can you continue.
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Hon. Member for the question. Indeed in our laws, we have the Domestic Violence Act that caters for violence against not only women but also men. So we work within those parameters to ensure that domestically we treat each other with dignity and the respect that we deserve. I thank you.
HON. MATHE: Madam Speaker my supplementary is what help are women getting when they are getting out of abusive marriages, particularly looking at the ground considering that some of the women are left after having suffered a stroke? What is in place at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in terms of funds to help women in such situations? I thank you
HON. ZIYAMBI: Thank you Madam Speaker. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development does not have a budget specifically for abused women but the House believes that we need to have a fund for that. I think Hon. Members are free to suggest that. I thank you.
HON. KHUPE: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Today marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence as it has been said already. My question is in Zimbabwe, Hon. Minister, we have got laws like the Domestic Violence Act and other laws which have to do with gender based violence but our problem is the implementation and the enforcement of these laws. So what is it that you are going to be doing as a Ministry in these 16 days in ensuring that there is implementation and enforcement of these laws so that there is zero tolerance to gender based violence against women and girls, so that there is an end to impunity for violence against women and girls? I thank you.
THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. ZIYAMBI): Thank you Hon. Speaker I want to thank Hon. Khupe for the question. Hon. Speaker, the Government does not focus or zero in on the 16 days alone. Our thrust is to ensure that everyone within society, their dignity and respect is maintained and as such, if we have problems with enforcement, there are processes that are supposed to be followed with the police to ensure that justice is followed. Likewise, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development has got several programmes that run throughout the year to ensure that they educate our women, they educate society on the ills of gender based violence. So the Government has got programmes throughout the year to ensure that as families, we live in harmony and our police service also have a desk where they do canceling, they assist families to ensure that in society we live in harmony. I thank you.
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