By Nigel Pfunde
MBIRE – WOMEN in Mbire District have launched a community-led drive to tackle gender-based violence and child marriage through the Start, Awareness, Support, Action (SASA!) Together model.
The programme was introduced last week by ActionAid Zimbabwe under the Mbire Local Rights Programme. Its goal is to ensure “women understand it, own it, and lead it.”
Mashonaland Central records the highest rate of child marriage in Zimbabwe at 49%, with Mbire cited as one of the hardest-hit districts. To address this, the initiative began in Wards 7 and 15, where 30 SASA champions, community leaders, and stakeholders were trained to facilitate dialogues challenging harmful norms and strengthening protection pathways.
“We know GBV and child marriage thrive where information is scarce, dialogue is unsafe and local leadership is sidelined. So we are changing that,” ActionAid said in a statement.
The focus is on women taking the lead. “Through these community dialogues, SASA champions are gaining the confidence and skills to spark change in their own neighbourhood-expanding ward by ward, year by year.”
“We are deliberate about ending violence against women and girls in Mbire. We want to see women at the front, driving action against GBV and child marriage because they know what’s at stake and they know what needs to change,” the organisation added.
ActionAid said the approach aims to ensure “every woman and girl deserves to live free from violence,” adding that “with women leading the conversation on GBV, change is happening.”
