A men’s lobby group, Varume Svinurai/Vhukani Madoda, has condemned the Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development ministry for failing to deal with equality in the Domestic Violence Council (DVC).
National chairperson of the group Fred Misi told NewsDay yesterday that the council far much outnumbered men and decisions were likely to be biased towards the fairer-sex.
“The ministry always talks about 50-50 representation of both women and men in all sectors, but the DVC consists of eight women and four men,” Misi said. “Of the members in this council, there is no organisation exclusively for men’s rights because Padare Men’s Forum is a group which favours women at the expense of men.”
The council comprises of representattives of Padare Men’s Forum, Women and Law in Southern Africa, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, ZRP Victim Friendly Unit, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Women’s Action Group, Musasa Project, Justice and Children Trust and churches.
“When that Act (Domestic Violence) was promulgated it was a well-known fact that men were the perpetrators of domestic violence, but the ministry should have appointed a men’s organisation in the council but it seems like men are now becoming victims of domestic violence due to this set-up,” Misi added.
But, Deputy minister of Women’s Affairs Jessie Majome said: “They are sowing seeds of discrimination against women and they might also lack sufficient grasp of gender and equality. They should preach equality to the Cabinet, judiciary and other parastatal boards before blaming our ministry of this equality.”
