UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Director, Lydia Zigomo (left) and UNFPA Country Rep, Miranda Tabifor, are welcomed to the Bindura GBV One-Step Centre by Administration Officer Stella Muchenje
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The Bindura Gender Based Violence (GBV) One-Stop Centre, located at Bindura Provincial Hospital in Mashonaland Central, records an average of 55-75 cases every month.
This was shared with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Lydia Zigomo, during her recent visit at the OSC.
Stella Muchenje, the Administration Officer at the centre, reported that since January, the facility has received about 370 cases, most of which are related to sexual violations.
“This centre serves eight districts in this province, and each month, we record an average of 55-75 cases,” Muchenje said. “Since January, we’ve received 370 cases, mostly involving sexual violations. About 250 of these cases have ended up in the court system, with survivors ranging in age from four to 17 years.”
Zigomo emphasized that while the Bindura One-Stop Centre (OSC) is meeting a critical need, more effort is required to reduce GBV cases in the community.
“One-Stop Centres are currently responding to a real need,” said Zigomo. “But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we lived in a peaceful society where these centres were no longer necessary? That’s the vision. At some point, we want to see levels of GBV decreasing—and for the right reasons. Not because of underreporting, but because people learn to resolve their issues without violence. If they have challenges, they should know where to go for psychological counseling or any other support they need without resorting to harming another person.”
Zigomo expressed hope that one day such centres won’t be needed. “But while they are needed, we must sustain and even expand these services,” she added.
She also noted the importance of having similar centres in other provinces due to the essential services they provide. Zigomo praised the integration of the centre’s services at a health facility, highlighting the unified approach focused on the survivor’s well-being. “It’s all about putting the survivor, the victim, at the centre and determining how best we can support them,” she said.
The initiative to involve university interns at the OSC also received Zigomo’s approval. She noted that the interns help manage the caseload while gaining firsthand awareness of GBV issues, which is valuable for future professionals.
“It’s essential to educate young people who are entering professional fields about what’s happening in our communities and the roles they can play,” Zigomo said. “I think it’s great to see interns from local universities here. I haven’t seen many one-stop centres with such an initiative, and it’s a good practice worth sharing with others.”
Zigomo emphasized the importance of GBV One-Stop Centres in fostering peace at the community level.
“We often talk about peace as if it’s only the absence of war. But peace also means the absence of violence,” she explained. “True peace includes peaceful homes and communities where everyone feels safe and able to reach their full potential. This is something we’re struggling with, not only in Zimbabwe or Eastern and Southern Africa but worldwide. Gender-based violence is a global issue, and the COVID-19 pandemic only highlighted its pervasiveness.”
The Bindura GBV One-Stop Centre was launched under the Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls. It provides a range of services, including medical care, counseling, police assistance, and legal services, all under one roof.
