Churches tackle GBV

LOCAL churches have embarked on various empowerment projects targeting men as part of efforts to fight gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

It has been noted that lack of economic opportunities is one of key factors that contribute to fuelling gender-based violence in homes.

The Government and local civil society organisations are largely focusing towards women and the girl child empowerment as they are the major victims of GBV. However, little attention has been given to men in terms of empowering them despite being the perpetrators of GBV.

Their failure to provide for families is said to be one of the reasons leading to them venting their anger on women.

Following consultations and counselling sessions with some men, a group of churches under the banner Council for Churches in Africa decided to start empowerment project for men as a way of countering disharmony in homes due to poverty related issues.

The church observed that most men who are not economically productive tend to be violent and commit GBV cases. CCA president Dr Rocky Moyo said in their interaction with men, they observed that even their spouses do not respect them as they are sometimes subjected to emotional abuse.

Dr Moyo said this resulted in the church coming up with the projects for men to empower them.

“While as a church we have projects that support widows and orphans we have started a programme to support men who we believe are not given attention yet they also experience economic challenges. Men are supposed to be providers at home and when they fail to do so they are subjected to humiliation by their spouses,” he said.

“This then sparks violence in homes as the man would want to use physical strength to show that they are the man of the house.” Dr Moyo said the church started several mitigation measures including establishing a start-up fund to enable them to be economically stable. “At the beginning of the year, we started a grocery club for some of the men in church so that at the end of the year they can share the groceries. In the coming days we will be sharing the groceries that we bought,” he said.

“We also have a cattle fattening and goat project where we keep beef cattle and with some of the men in the church benefiting from the project.”