Quick info guide

Police contact numbers

Contact/hotline numbers of police in case of robbery, rape or bandits attacks

Emergency: +263 4 995

Hotline: (04) 748836/ (04) 777777

Roadblock Numbers: +263 782 475 000

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority anti-corruption toll-free hotlines

Econet: 0808190

Telecel: 0732880880

Netone: 0772135690

Musasa Project Toll Free Number – 080 800 74

Adult Rape Clinic: +263 242 793572

Hotlines for abuse/sexual harassment

ADVC: +263 242 700095/708666

Zimbabwe Gender Commission: +263 242 701101 /250296

Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development:  +263 242 708398 / 701103/250364

Safety and related support services for Zimbabwean women

Cross border movements are facilitated by the Department of Immigration in Zimbabwe, which focuses on the two aspects of control and facilitation of movement of people into and out of the country. To do this effectively, the Department has established 28 border posts that include road and rail controls, city and town offices as well as airports and some informal crossing points. All ports of entry and exit  (border posts and airports) are safe for conducting business.

Prevention of harassment for women in business

Harassment is defined as “unwelcome or unwanted verbal, non-verbal, physical or visual conduct based on sex or of a sexual nature which occurs with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person.” It can also be based on race, disability, class, gender identity, or other social identities, and serves to remind marginalized populations of our vulnerability to assault in public space.

Guidelines to prevent harassment:

  1. Do not entertain strangers
  2. Know your rights, if you feel as though you are in immediate danger, consider calling the Police, relevant authorities or shout for help
  3. Use public spaces avoid dark and lonely places when you are by yourself
  4. Limit the information you share
  5. Report the abuse
angle-left Multisectoral response to gender based violence

Multisectoral response to gender based violence

The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to address the problem of domestic violence through the enactment of various laws and policies that ensure maximum protection of survivors of domestic violence. These include the Domestic Violence Act, the Criminal Codification Reform Act and the Administration of Estates Act, the National Gender Policy Act and the Gender Based Violence Implementation Strategy and Work Plan.

Zimbabwe grapples with high incidences of Gender Based Violence (GBV), with 28.8% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having ever experienced physical or sexual violence. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among those 15-49 years is the most prevalent form of GBV experienced. Thirty-five percent of girls and women between 15-49 years have experienced physical violence since age 15 and 14% have experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime while 32% of ever-married women have experienced spousal emotional violence.

An Anti-Domestic Violence Council (ADVC) was launched in October 2009 and has been operational since, the limited resources available to it notwithstanding.

The membership of the Council includes the following: government institutions such as Justice and Legal Affairs, Health and Child Welfare, Department of Social Services, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Education, Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Council of Chiefs, churches and civil society organizations concerned with the welfare of children and women.

The functions of the ADVC among many others are to:

  • keep under constant review the problem of domestic violence in Zimbabwe
  • promote research into the problem of domestic violence
  • promote the establishment of safe houses and;
  • promote provision of support services for complainants where the respondent who was the source of support for the complainant and his/her dependants has been imprisoned.

The ADVC has also been tasked to take all steps to disseminate information and increase awareness of the public on domestic violence.

Contact information

7th Floor Kaguvi Building,
Phone: +263 04 700095 or 708666
Email: info@advcouncil.org.zw

In addition, the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has established three One Stop Centres (OSC) for survivors of Gender Based Violence.The One Stop Centres provide much needed medical, legal and psyschosocial services to survivors at no cost under one roof.

This intervention is under the Integrated Support Programme for Sexual and Reproductive Health (ISP) which is supported by the governments of United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden. The OSC is jointly implemented by the ministries of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development and Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC).

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has established Victim Friendly Units (VFUs) at every police station with the responsibility to provide a friendly environment for the reporting and investigation of sexual offenses and domestic violence cases.

Health Services 

The Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013 (under Chapter 2 Section 29 and Chapter 4 Section 76) recognizes every Zimbabwean citizen and resident’s right to access healthcare including reproductive healthcare services and emergency services; Furthermore, Chapter 4, Section 56 recognizes the equality of all persons under law and their right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner based on their nationality, race, color, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees the right to health and health services, but many of the inequalities faced by women and girls and their lack of quality and affordable health care and access to information continues to impede negatively right to health.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS prevalence in Zimbabwe is 13.8% among women and men between the ages 15-40 with 16.7% among women and 10.05% among men. Prevalence among young people between the age 15-24 is 6.7% and 2.9% among young women and young men respectively.

 
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