By Style Reporter
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls, ended last Friday.
The campaign runs every year from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, which is the Human Rights Day.
This year’s campaign ran under the theme Women and girls: Safe at home, online, in the street, at work and in society as a whole.
The 16 days are used as a strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
Broadcast journalist Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa believes the 16 days were merely meant to amplify the crusade.
She said women and girls and in some cases boys and men, experience violence 365 days out of the year.
“It’s sad to see that there are still so many women and girls not only in Zimbabwe, but world over that are still the prime victims of gender-based violence,” Parirenyatwa said.
“While the 16 days are a powerful reminder of the part we all have to play in curbing GBV, it’s important to remember that these efforts should go beyond these 16 days but continue all-year round.
“Only then can our efforts protect the women, girls and even men who have been silent victims for too long.
“Let not our efforts die after the end of these 16 days, but continue throughout all 365 days.”
Parirenyatwa said gender-based violence negatively impacts on women’s physical, sexual and reproductive and mental health as well as on their personal and social well-being.
“Let’s not forget that violence is beyond scars and bruises we can see with our eyes. It goes deeper; to the scars and bruises we feel without souls,” she said.
“Mental and emotional abuse must not be forgotten, as the world begins to draw much needed attention to mental health.”
A talk show host for The Link, a current affairs talk show that airs on ZTV, Parirenyatwa was recently in Dubai where she was the director of ceremony at the Africa Oil Week, a conference that brings together African governments, national oil companies, investors, licensing agencies as well as corporate oil and gas players.
She describes this as one of her greatest achievement as a mistress of ceremony.
“I was in Dubai for the Africa Oil Week as the MC and moderator where 30 Energy ministers from all over the world, including our own Zhemu Soda converged,” Parirenyatwa said.
“It was my first MC opportunity outside our continent.”