By Bongani Ncube
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) has engaged with young people in Gweru on a Sexual Reproductive Health Rights(SRHR) program to teach and train them to take action when they face challenges concerning their health being.
EFZ Gweru District Chairperson, Pastor Alfred Hove said young girls are supposed to expose any acts of abuse by reporting them to the police, the family, and church leaders.
“I would like to encourage young girls and boys to safeguard their wellbeing by reporting any cases of abuse to the police. We are having problems because victims of abuse are remaining silent.
“If such incident happens in church approach your pastor, church elders, or an elderly person with who you can share your issues. If these people fail to help you then you have to go and report to the police because abuse is cancer in our society” added Hove
EFZ’s SRHR Program Trainer and Facilitator, Priscilla Samundombe said it is important for youths to be filled with adequate knowledge on sexual reproductive health.
She said that it is good for men to take a leading role in advocating for sexual rights as stereotyping was still a challenge in most communities.
“It is important to talk about SRH issues because they encompass issues to do with early child marriages, abuse among other issues. They also touch on issues to do with HIV/AIDS, maternal health, sexually transmitted infections, stigma as well as Gender-Based Violence.
“To achieve equality on SRH rights we need to support equality because this does not affect women and girls only rather it affects men as well. So there is need for man to speak on these issues, we need their voice to be heard,” said Samudombe
“SRH involves set of rights as those enshrined in the constitution, it includes the right to marry and establish a family, enter into marriage with full consent, health care, protection and right to be protected from harmful practices,” added Samundombe
She further highlighted the importance of embracing information saying health matters were sensitive in nature as they required confidentiality and understanding.
“Confidentiality is one of the key pillars under SRHR as it helps to keep health issues confidential because some of the health issues are very sensitive in nature and requires professionalism when addressing them.
“There is also a need for corporates to come up with safeguarding policies against abuse as these policies work hand in hand with gender equality advocacy. l urge women in here to know that safeguarding policies protect them against exploitations, “she said.
