The Research Advocacy Unit (RAU) has attacked government for failing to enact laws that criminalise politically-motivated and election-related violence against women.
RAU is an independent, non-governmental organisation that conducts research on victims of organised violence and torture.
In a report this week, RAU noted there was need for comprehensive legislation to deal with electoral and political violence against women.
“To date there is no specific law in Zimbabwe that specifically criminalises the perpetration of politically-motivated violence per se, but there are various pieces of legislation outlawing certain acts of violence against other individuals,” noted the report.
“There is an urgent need for the enactment of a specific law that directly criminalises politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe, if a long-lasting solution towards ending politically-motivated violence and attaining total peace is to be achieved.”
It said the increased vulnerability of women when there is politically-motivated violence dated back to the Gukurahundi era.
“Despite having ratified most international instruments, Zimbabwe is still ranked as one of the highest holders of gross human rights violations the world over for crimes perpetrated during the period 2000-2010, thereby further exposing the flaws in Sadc towards implementing a holistic approach in ameliorating the plight of women in Zimbabwe,” said the report.
