Category: Gender Matrix

Zim A Level Girl Ventures Into Sex Work To Raise Tuition and University Funds

Michael Gwarisa

FOR 18-year-old Mercy (not real name), life took a twist soon after completing her Ordinary Level studies in 2018 in Chivhu. Having bagged 10 ‘O’ level subjects including Mathematics, English, and science subjects, Mercy enrolled for Advanced level at the same school she did her ‘O’ levels. By Michael Gwarisa After government announced closure of schools in March following confirmation of COVID-19 in the country, Mercy moved to Harare to live with her unemployed sister with the aim of raising fees for her final term as well as enroll for…

Read More

#BREAKING: Malawian Man Who Murdered Zim Girlfriend 10 Years Ago Gets Life Sentence

Michael Gwarisa

  A Malawian man, Misozi Chanthunya who murdered his Zimbabwean girlfriend Linda Gasa 10 years ago, was this morning sentenced to life imprisonment by a Malawian court. Michael Gwarisa Speaking to HealthTimes on the development, Lucky Mkandawire, a Malawian Journalist who was covering the proceedings and works for the country’s leading English daily The Nation,  confirmed that  a Malawi High Court sitting in the country’s old capital city Zomba had sentenced Chanthunya to life imprisonment for contrary to Section 209 of the Penal Code though murdering his girlfriend Linda Gasa,…

Read More

COVID-19 Will Widen Poverty Gap Between Women And Men- UN Study

Michael Gwarisa

THE COVID-19 crisis will dramatically increase the poverty rate for women and widen the gap between men and women who live in poverty, according to new data released today by UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The poverty rate for women was expected to decrease by 2.7 percent between 2019 and 2021, but projections now point to an increase of 9.1 percent due to the pandemic and its fallout. The projections, commissioned by UN Women and UNDP, and carried out by the Pardee Centre for International Futures…

Read More

Every 23 Minutes, A Woman/Girl Dies F Unsafe Abortion- MSF

Michael Gwarisa

UNSAFE abortions remain one of the leading causes of maternal deaths the world over, with majority of the deaths being reported in the developing countries, the Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) has warned. By Michael Gwarisa According to the MSF, at least 7 million women are hospitalized every year due to complications from unsafe abortions whole a woman or girl dies after every 23 minutes from an unsafe abortion. Although the past two decades have seen major decreases in most leading causes of maternal deaths worldwide, one glaring exception remains: unsafe…

Read More

Delayed Justice For GBV Victims As Courts Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

DOROTHY (not real name) is married and has a two-year-old child and lives in Epworth. Over the past few days, they have been having fights regarding her new pregnancy which her husband believes its not his and she should have it terminated. By Michael Gwarisa On one occasion, her husband hit her so hard with a log and threatened her with worse torture should she report the case to the police. She had to sleep in the fields just to escape from her brutal husband who has of late become…

Read More

Nine things you need to know about periods and the pandemic

Healthtimes

MENSTRUATION is misunderstood and stigmatized around the world, a fact likely to worsen under the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are nine things you need to know about periods and the pandemic – and what the world needs to do about it. SOURCE: UNFPA 1. Menstruation is not a sign of illness or COVID-19 Menstruation is healthy and normal. It is not a sign of illness. But myths about menstruation and COVID-19 are circulating. In China, for instance, people have reported hearing that menstruation increases one’s vulnerability to the coronavirus. In Tanzania,…

Read More

Merck Foundation Trains 500 Specialist Health Workers In Africa

Healthtimes

MERCK Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA says it is satisfied with doctors going back to work in their countries after being trained to specialize in different fields. By Winnie Agnes Botha-Merck Foundation The aim of Merck Foundation training program is to develop a strong platform of specialists in Oncology, Fertility and Diabetes. The specialized doctors are expected to support the public health system of their respective countries to improve access to equitable and quality healthcare. Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer-CEO- Dr. Rasha Kelej, who is also President of…

Read More

Police Vetting For Sunday School Teachers To Curb Child Sexual Abuse

Michael Gwarisa
ZCC Liason Officer Rev Samuel Sifelani

ZIMBABWE churches have introduced police vetting for aspiring Sunday School teachers in a bid to reduce growing cases of Child Sexual abuse in churches, HealthTimes can reveal. By Michael Gwarisa This revelation was made by Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) Liaison Officer, Reverend Samuel Sifelani at the Women and Girls Symposium in Epworth recently. Our goal is to ensure that the church becomes a refuge for people facing abuse. However, sexual abuse has also become an issue in the church where people are facing various forms of abuse including sexual…

Read More

End Forced Sterilisation Of Women Living With HIV

Healthtimes

THE Global Network of People living HIV (GNP+), the International Community of Women living with HIV and the Global Network of Young People living with HIV (Y+),  have called  for an end to forced sterilisation of women living with HIV. In a statement, the three orgnisations described the act as a horrific violation of  human rights and called for an end to all violations of women’s autonomy and bodily integrity. The forced and coerced sterilization of women living with HIV has been documented in over 31 countries around the world,…

Read More

Women Now Using Tobacco To Shrink Their Private Parts

Michael Gwarisa

WOMEN are now applying tobacco powder and other tobacco related products on their private parts in the belief that it shrinks their genitals, increase sexual pleasure and raises the odds of getting pregnant. By Michael Gwarisa The practice of applying tobacco to the lady parts is now popular in most West African countries and has also spread to other African countries including Zimbabwe. Tobacco or “miracle recipe” as it is now called in West African countries “increases sexual pleasure tenfold” or “sends a man into the seventh heaven” and this…

Read More