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Marytise Vambayi Herald reporter

Women can start changing society when it comes to gender-based violence by bringing up children to understand how wrong it is and by standing up for themselves showing a positive example, Coca Cola Zimbabwe Women’s Linc has said.

The Coca Cola Zimbabwe Women’s Linc, a group of women employees of Delta Corporation, Schweppes Zimbabwe and Coca Cola, are also rallying to end gender-based violence during the ongoing 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence under the global theme, “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now”.

The group was established to enhance the attraction, engagement and development of female colleagues through opportunities such as industry panels and community engagements, among others, to discuss ways of ending GBV against women.

The Coca Cola Zimbabwe Women’s Linc president, Mrs Patricia Murambinda, said to end violence, it all starts with the way people raise and nurture their children at home, which impacts them until they become adults.

“For us to mitigate gender-based violence, it all starts in homes with how we raise our boy and girl child; what values are we instilling in them, teaching the boy child to respect the girl child and vice versa. We will then surely see gender-based violence being reduced in the country,” she said. 

Mrs Murambinda encouraged women to stand up for themselves and learn to say no, to help end gender-based at the workplace.

“Sometimes it’s not about money or economic benefits, at the end of the day, but it’s about the values you carry as an individual, the self-care and self-love, which is important,” she said.

Lawyer Mrs Sheila Evans said there was need for change of attitude to end violence because GBV was rooted in the socio-cultural and structural norms and values of people.

“Gender-based violence is rooted with the issue of power. Change of attitude is crucial to a better world since we are the ones who nurture the next generation. We need to change our mind-set and social norms in what we are imparting to our children,” she said. 

Mrs Evans encouraged women to be resourceful to reduce fights, saying when there is no money in the home, GBV cases rise. Mrs Edith Maziofa Tapfuma said women should encourage each other especially at work.

“We need to aspire, motivate each other and stop sabotaging each other. Let’s work together in empowering each other to reduce gender-based violence,” she said.

“We need to appreciate ourselves, accept our weaknesses and learn to be content with what we have. Let’s be civilised and learn to set boundaries for ourselves.”