Blackouts exposing women and girls to sexual abuse
Sibongile Dube
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) is concerned by the high-risk exposure that women and girls are subjected to as they fetch firewood in the bushes, as power shortages persist.
The organization calls on families, men and responsible authorities to prioritize women and girls’ rights protection. MIHR is also encouraging women and girls to seek firewood in groups, as the edges of cities are fast becoming potential sexual abuse crime spots due to the high demand for firewood.
“Women and girls should never go to the bushes to collect firewood alone or in pairs but instead go in groups of at least four and above and be accompanied by at least one relative male adult.
Men and boys must be responsible and assist women and girls in fetching firewood and even accompany them in order to offer protection and safety. Parents should be responsible and desist from sending children (especially the girl child) alone to collect firewood as this exposes them” said MIHR in a statement.
On Tuesday the 13th and Wednesday the 14th of December 2022, MIHR embarked on a monitoring visit to Pumula Old and parts of Pumula South suburbs and the organization observed that it was mostly women and girls that were seen emerging from the bushy areas from collecting firewood.
“This is a major concern especially during this time when crimes of sexual abuse and rape are on the increase,” the organisation said.
MIHR is further appealing to the Bulawayo City Council to be on high alert and monitor the operations of rangers in order to ensure that they do not get involved in gender crimes such as ‘sex-for-firewood’ practices.
As an environmental champion, the NGO made it clear that it is totally against the cutting down of trees for firewood because of associated negative environmental impacts and subsequent human rights consequences.
The government is struggling to deal with the power situation as evidenced by the power blackouts which have also affected small and medium enterprises. It claims that the struggle may ease after Hwange unit 7 is commissioned in the first quarter of 2023.
