The Zimbabwe Women’s Bureau, HOPE for Adolescents and Youth, and Restless Development have partnered Zimdancehall chanter, Freeman, in the Spotlight Initiative, a global initiative to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
The crooner has since released a song titled Mhirizhonga Mudzimba which will run as theme song for the initiative set to commence in Harare’s Epworth and Hopley suburbs.
In a statement, the organisations stated that their partnership with the Joina City singer seeks to have convey gender-based violence topic to communities where it is taboo to bring up such discourse.
“With violence against women and girls being a taboo topic in many cultures and communities in Zimbabwe, HOPE for Adolescents and Youth, Zimbabwe Women’s Bureau and Restless Development are using music as an awareness-raising, advocacy and educational tool which has the power to culturally, morally, and emotionally influence our society.
“Through music, the message becomes part of people’s everyday lives and, together, we can challenge harmful norms. The song calls for Zimbabweans including men to take a stand against the pervasive rape culture that surrounds us. The song urges Zimbabweans to come together and take action and be a part of the efforts to end all forms of violence against women and girls,” reads part of the statement.
Reports suggest that about one in three women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, and about one in four women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.
