COMINSUD Trains Community Leaders in Mbengwi on GBV

COMINSUD Trains Community Leaders in Mbengwi on GBV

The humanitarian organisation, Community Initiative for Sustainable Development (COMINSUD) has trained some community leaders in Mbengwi on Gender Based Violence (GBV), particularly rape, physical violence, denial of resources, sexual harassment etc. Participants made up of traditional council chairpersons, community health workers, representatives from Village Development Associations and others attended the one day training that took place in the conference hall of the Mbengwi District Hospital, Thursday June 17 2021

Participants & COMINSUD Staff Pose for Family Picture at End of Workshop

Talking on the Management of Gender Based Violence, Mrs. Tunga Hilda Anne, General Supervisor of the Mbengwi District Hospital told the participants to always use the services of care and treatment centres around them plus hospitals each time they come across a GBV case especially rape and most importantly, within 72 hours, the medically recommended time frame to quickly put the victim on post prophylaxis, a process that involves screening, administration of emergency contraceptive, Psychological First Aid (P.F.A) and Anti Retroviral Drugs (A.R.V) all free of charge. She also called for the maintenance of confidentiality to avoid stigmatisation.

Mr. Mbabit Pius, Chairman of the Njindom Traditional Council thanked COMISUD for the workshop and proposed a number be made public for people like them to call and report GBV cases. Before the close of the meeting, a Referal Pathway for the N.W region was distributed to all attendees. It is a leaflet produced by COMINSUD containing contacts of institutions and persons that can be reached to report various cases of GBV or seek attention and knowledge. The contacts for Mbengwi as contained in the Referral Pathway are 677495530 or 675420403 or 680114133. Meanwhile to contact the Mbengwi District Hospital, the number given to reach was 676342832

Participants Taking Down Notes

As was explained, some GBV cases also need spiritual intervention since it's alleged there are cases of rape where the fertility of the survivor (victim) is taken away. Muyang Gina is a GBV case worker with COMINSUD particularly in Mbengwi and to and extent, Momo Division. As focal person for the organisation in the subdivision, she said almost everyone in society has either been a survivor or perpetrator of one form of GBV or another. She also affirmed that the organisation she works with supports survivors especially of rape morally, materially and financially as COMINSUD's interventions are more survivor based than perpetrator meaning the focus is to rescue the survivor while the legal and criminal sanctions of the perpetrator are expected to be handled by the competent authorities corncerned with punishment. 

She also added that each time a GBV case is being handled, the survivor at any point in time within the process has the full right to ask for a discontinuance of the case. Such requests usually come in on basis of safeguarding individual or family dignity, other arrangements with the perpetrator, avoidance of more violence etc.  However, as Gina explained, before this, he or she must have first been educated on the importance and advantages of following the process till the end and disadvantages of not continuing the process.

Muyang Gina, COMINSUD GBV Case Worker, Mbengwi Training Participants

COMINSUD Staff at Workshop

This summer holiday that shall see many youths that had travelled out of Mbengwi to other towns for studies returning home, COMINSUD plans to be holding educative sessions with young girls between 9 and 25 years old on sexuality, body care, family planning just to name these few at their office located opposite Palmers Bingual Nursery and Primary School before reaching the Mbengwi Council office.