UNITED Nations Creative Artists Advisory Council for Southern Africa gender champion Albert Nyathi has urged men to desist from perpetrating gender-based violence (GBV) saying, it defied their roles as protectors.
VENERANDA LANGA,SENIOR REPORTER
He said this on Monday at Warren Hills Cemetery where Harare West gender activists had converged together with MP Jessie Majome to campaign against GBV in commemoration of a victim Charity Sabawu who was shot and killed by her husband in 2008.
“Gender-based violence is real and is affecting all tiers of society and it is proving difficult to deal with because even UN gender champions are victims of GBV,” said Nyathi.
“If being a man means you have to beat up women – and if it means I have to be in existence beating up people, I would rather cease to be a man,” he said. Nyathi recounted an incident where South African
Generations actress Rosie Motene, a UN gender champion, was assaulted in Botswana by a man called Bissau Gaobakwe who is said to come from one of Botswana’s wealthiest families.
“This is an incident that happened during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and Motene sustained a broken nose and was rushed to hospital.
“Gaobakwe has not been arrested up to now and as UN gender champions we are taking this issue to the UN,” Nyathi said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
He urged artistes to spread the gospel against GBV using song, dance, plays, sculpture, poetry, film and other forms of art.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Artistes for Hope Trust was launched at the event. Vhusa Dzimwasha, an actor and son of the late Sabawu, said he was working on a film about the real-life story of his mother using edutainment methods as a way to curb GBV.
“I have written a film based on my mother’s true story and we wish to see it teaching and changing people’s mind-set towards gender-based violence. In this film nothing is left out.
“Real-life issues that most people think could never happen in this country are shown in the life of my mother and hero Charity,” Dzimwasha said.
The film to be named after the murder case docket number CRB 5710 will also include a NewsDay senior journalist as part of the cast.
