Chiefs’ Council president, Chief Fortune Charumbira says it is not true that wife beating is a cultural norm as some people tend to believe.
Speaking in the Senate about the importance of observing 16 Days activism against Gender Based Violence, Chief Charumbira said as traditional leaders they don’t support husband or wife beating.
He challenged those who think wife beating is cultural to prove it to him where culture allows that.
“The number of people involved in violence differs but for us to say gender-based violence is as a result of culture – we may need a workshop that actually gives us or highlights exactly where this notion came from, to say culture allows to beat up men or women,” he said.
He detested those who preach the false gospel that says women should be beaten.
“If someone goes to drink opaque beer, comes back and threaten a woman, then goes on to beat her and people say it is culture; that is not culture.
“I would like to emphasise that culture is what people agree upon as a people as they live amongst themselves,” he added.
Chief Charumbira added that whenever people are presented with an opportunity to uphold women, they should support them.
“Does culture allow women to be abused? I have never met someone who can interpret that very well.
“Where does culture allow women to be beaten up? It is not there in our culture,” he said.
He added; “However, there is this issue; when we are talking about gender and violence, looking at the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, we are together in this struggle. As chiefs, we do not support violence against men or women, that is gender-based violence.”
He added that, to show that traditional leaders do not support husband or wife beating, as Chiefs they have always punished perpetrators of gender based violence.
-Zwnews
