Dubbed #BringBackOurGirls#, the march is a solidarity protest with the families and women of Africa, following the kidnapping of the Nigerian girls by groups that believe in women’s oppression and are opposed to girls education.
The National Coordinator for Katswe Sistahood, Talent Jumo said the Nigerian abductions are an indication of the need for African governments to develop and embrace statutory instruments that protect women and girls during conflict.
“We are not saying that there is any conflict in Zimbabwe. What we want is to challenge our African governments to enact legislation that protect women and girls during conflict situations and prevent scenarios such as the one in Nigeria,” said Jumo.
She said the Nigerian abductions bore testimony that more should be done towards embracing the 2013 UN Declarations, compelling countries to protect women and girls during conflict situations.
“This has made us as the women’s movement to question the protection mechanisms that are there for African women and girls during times of conflict. As African women, we are saying our governments are not prepared and they have demonstrated that they have no capacity to protect and prevent atrocities against women and girls in conflict situations,” she said.
She said the march aims at petitioning the AU and other African bodies to scale up efforts to rescue the girls.
The march will start at Town House in Harare at 9 a.m and it is set to proceed from Julius Nyerere into Robert Mugabe before marchers turn left into 3rd Street and proceed to the Africa Unity Square, where the petition is going to be handed over to the AU.
Post published in: News