Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Reporter
Eight universities from across the country have signed an agreement with the Zimbabwe Council of Social Workers and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to effectively put into motion the incorporation of a gender-based violence curriculum in all institutions offering social work courses.
The move marks a significant step towards strengthening Zimbabwe’s response to GBV as the world commemorates 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The partnership which was formalised on Friday, aims to equip social workers with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide comprehensive support services to GBV survivors.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Ms Miranda Tabifor said this was a significant step in the country’s fight against GBV.
“Ensuring timely access to critical, life-saving services following gender-based violence of any kind, including sexual violence, is a key step in ensuring recovery by survivors. The role that psychosocial support plays in bringing about this dignity restoration of survivors is very critical. And we have seen social workers as critical partners to work with UNFPA, the Government of Zimbabwe and other partners in this fight,” she said.
She said the signing ceremony represented a great commitment to support GBV survivors to access critical GBV services.
Registrar of the Zimbabwe Council of Social Workers Mr Nesbert Tadzoka, said the rollout of the revised curriculum was expected to begin soon, with universities using their 20 percent initiative from the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche) to implement the changes.
He said the Council of Social Workers would ensure the revised curriculum becomes a minimum board of knowledge for social work training in Zimbabwe, making it obligatory for all universities offering social work training to include GBV in their programmes.
“One of the key issues of the significance about the signing ceremony is driving commitment from universities.
“When we have commitment from them, we are assured that they can be able to take this further and to put systems in place within their social work departments to make sure that GBV case management training is embedded in their training of social work programmes,” he said.
Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development deputy director gender, Ms Matilda Singende said the partnership symbolised a step towards ensuring the social work curriculum at universities was not only comprehensive but also inclusive of critical issues.
“By integrating GBV into the curriculum, we are acknowledging its prevalence and the urgent need for social workers to be equipped with knowledge and skills necessary to address this pressing issue.
“This event is highly significant as it is coming within the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, thereby amplifying the efforts that we are taking as a country towards the fight against GBV,” she said.
Mr Tumirai Magunda acting deputy director tertiary education programmes in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development echoed the sentiments.
“This strategic partnership aims to invest in the capacity building and professionalisation of social services workforce. By incorporating GBV case management into the social work curriculum, we are ensuring that future social workers are well prepared to address the complex and sensitive issues related to GBV,” he said.
The eight universities that are part of the partnership are the University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University, Africa University, Bindura University of Science Education, Reformed Church University, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University and Aruppe Jesuit University.
