Endemic poverty and lack of clean water diminish efforts to end period poverty in marginalized areas

Managing a menstrual cycle without any sanitary wear is almost impossible for most women and one would imagine how devastating it can be for 10-year or 11-year-old girls. Like any other poverty-related challenges such as homelessness and shortages of food and water, the prevalence of period poverty is high in Zimbabwe, especially in the country’s rural areas, where girls at times have to abscond school because they cannot cope without sanitary wear.

Period poverty is the state whereby women and girls are unable to access sanitary products and will be having inadequate knowledge of how to care for themselves during menstruation mainly due to financial constraints, and it is usually experienced by less privileged girls and women who come from extremely poor backgrounds.

Not having access to a safe and hygienic way to deal with menstruation can have profound consequences, particularly on a girl’s education. With more than 3 million girls in Zimbabwe menstruating, there is, therefore, high demand for feminine products. However, there is a backlog in meeting such a demand as sanitary wear production is low in the country, forcing women to rely on imported pads, which are very expensive.

Most underprivileged girls end up wearing rags and using cow dung, which is risky as it does not only affect their health by exposing them to infections but also degrades their dignity, especially in school where they have to go through the embarrassment of being ridiculed by boys after, for instance, a leakage stains a girl’s clothing or uniform.

According to a study by Stitching Nenderlandse Vrijwilligers  (SNV), a Foundation of Netherlands Volunteers – Zimbabwe, 72 percent of menstruating schoolgirls do not use sanitary pads because they can’t afford them. However, with the coming in of reusable pads, the probability of the situation improving seem to be high as are cheap and accessible. But according to health experts based in Mudzi, safety and hygiene are difficult to preserve if re-usable pads are used in the absence of reliable sources of potable water.

“In terms of hygiene, re-usable pads are not 100 percent safe due to lack of knowledge on how to properly use them. Girls here spend long hours wearing the pads which exposes them to high risks of diseases like cervical cancer and other infections as they need to be constantly changed.

Mudzi is one of the areas that have been receiving donations of reusable and disposable pads from various voluntary organizations with an aim to end period poverty in Zimbabwe.

“As girls, we encounter certain challenges while using reusable pads. Reusable pads require thorough cleaning, but some of the girls are not able to properly rinse the pads, which is a risk as it exposes them to sores in genital areas. Other girls in our area come from poor backgrounds where affording laundry soap is beyond their reach. They end up leaving the pads dirty and not properly washed which is a threat to their health and wellbeing. So,  we plead that these donations come along with the handy soap to wash them”, added Kimberly Pahuwa, a 16-year-old one of Mudzi’s local schools.

Although volunteer teachers and nonprofit organizations have been making an effort to try and close the period poverty gap, there is need for increased penetration in remote areas, where knowledge deficiency on sexual reproduction is still rampant and sometimes considered taboo.

“It is important that we work together as a country to make pads accessible and affordable to the less privileged girls. It is also important to educate young boys because they one day they may become become single fathers, so they will understand the gravity of the matter”, said Thandekile Magqina,  Towels for Girls project founder and co-ordinator,.

Meanwhile, women and girls in other rural communities like Wedza, are forking out US$1 or ZWL$200 for a packet of pads.

“Sanitary wear is very expensive for most women and girls in our community and this undermines our self-esteem, especially that of young girls who usually end up engaging in immoral activities to get money for the pads because if they do not have the pads they abscond from school during their cycles. This is killing any form of development from women in our country,” said Tafadzwa Gwatidzo, a local woman from Wedza.

Zimbabwe’s protracted economic crisis has severely damaged the country’s economic potential. Basic needs like food, water, and sanitary wear are scarce which significantly lowers the standard of living. Girls’ and women’s health must be prioritized, especially during their menstrual cycle. This can only be attained if sanitary wear is made available, accessible,, and affordable for every woman and girl child.

 

“No Jab – No Church is a violation of freedom of worship” – Epworth residents

Vice President and Health Minister Constantine Chiwenga displays a Covid-19 vaccination card. (File pic)

The government’s directive to restrict church gatherings to only vaccinated members as a measure to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has been largely viewed by residents in Epworth as is a veiled denial of the freedom of worship.

The directive which was promulgated at a time when there is a shortage of vaccines in the country has been viewed as a  tacit coercive way by the government to get believers vaccinated can be an indicator of the failure to strike a balance between public health safety and religious orientation.

A church environment should remain non-discriminatory and a welcoming space for everyone. Any restrictions then automatically violate the citizens’ rights to freedom of worship.

According to section 1(19) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Act 2013;  no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, that is to say, freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to manifest and propagate religious beliefs through worshipping and teaching. The constitution, therefore, guarantees that every Zimbabwean citizen should attend church regardless of whether one is vaccinated or not, as section 19(4) of the same constitution states that, no person shall be compelled to take an oath that is contrary to his religion and belief.

On 11th August 2021, government prohibited unvaccinated citizens from attending church. The restriction allowed the public to attend full church services only if they were fully vaccinated, a directive that triggered mixed reactions from the public.

Epworth resident, one Farai Mutare said being vaccinated has to be voluntary and all people have to attend church.

 “Vaccination must be based on a voluntary basis but with this directive, the government is now denying citizens their rights and freedom of worship,” said Mutare.

The tacit denial of the right to worship by the executive works against the principle of openness that guides the church as one pastor based in Epworth noted.

“The reality is that church doors are not yet open. The majority of the population is not yet vaccinated and considering that children are exempted, it is therefore impossible for the elders to go to church leaving their kids behind. So there is need to look for other ways of conducting church services without gathering physically,” he said.

The unavailability of the Covid-19 vaccines in most cases when one wants to access them has complicated matters.

“The problem is there are not enough vaccines, people have to wait for hours or otherwise sleep at the vaccination centers and clinics to get vaccinated. Usually by the time the vaccination center opens the vaccine will not be available yet the government is claiming that vaccines are compulsory” the pastor added.

The government order also violates the rights of churches that do not believe in vaccines and medical solutions to all forms of illnesses such as the apostolic sects.

“We have religions like Johanne Marange who believes in faith healing and do not depend on medical health facilities, by restricting church attendance to the vaccinated members these churches are forbidden to attend church,” said Sarah Njanji of Epworth.

However, the restrictions might prove to be a waste of time considering that congregations like the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church (the sect constituting the largest chunk of the country’s apostolic believers) do not believe in biomedical health and have consistently defied every manner of Covid-19 preventive measures.

Additionally, the fact that intercity travel is now allowed and in most cases with people using public transport without the vaccination cards exposes the fallacy behind the no jab, no church rule. In market places in Harare like Mbare Mupedzanhamo, people are always crowded as they buy their food and clothes without even proving that they are vaccinated. This fact highlights the extent to which the no jab, no church rule is perceived as a violation of the freedom of religious association.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted normal life and most governments around the world have come up with emergency measures and regulations that are meant to protect the public from the deadly disease.  However, the measures have to strike a balance between objectives of public safety and respect of fundamental rights like

Vice President and Health Minister Constantine Chiwenga displays a Covid-19 vaccination card. (File pic)

the freedom of worship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Netflix and UNESCO have partnered to launch an innovative short film competition on ‘African Folktales, Reimagined’ across Sub-Saharan Africa. Winners of the competition will be trained and mentored by industry professionals and provided with a US$75,000 production budget to create short films that will premiere on Netflix in 2022 as an “Anthology of African folktales”. One key aim of this competition is to discover new voices and to give emerging filmmakers in Sub-Saharan Africa visibility on a global scale. We want to find the bravest, wittiest, and most surprising retellings of some of Africa’s most-loved folktales and share them with entertainment fans around the world in over 190 countries. It is important that the film sector acts to ensure the voices of Africa are heard, by supporting the emergence of diverse cultural expressions, putting forth new ideas and emotions, and creating opportunities for creators to contribute to global dialogue for peace, culture and development. -Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General. The competition, which will be administered by Dalberg, will open on 14 October 2021 until 14 November 2021. Each of the 6 winners will receive a production grant of US$75,000 (through a local production company) to develop, shoot and post-produce their films under the guidance of Netflix and industry mentors to ensure everyone involved in the production is fairly compensated. In addition, each of the 6 winners will also receive $25,000. -Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, Netflix UNESCO and Netflix both strongly believe in the importance of promoting diverse local stories, and bringing them to the world. They recognize that many emerging filmmakers struggle with finding the right resources and visibility to enable them to fully unleash their talents and develop their creative careers. This competition aims to address these issues and enable African storytellers to take a first step towards showcasing their content to a global audience. -Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture This partnership will also help create sustainable employment and encourage economic growth and it will therefore contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, a series of targets established by the United Nations which aims to end global poverty in all its forms by the end of this decade. This film competition will also help reduce inequalities by facilitating access to global markets and by guaranteeing dignified working conditions. All of these are key goals within the 2030 Agenda. Africa has a rich storytelling heritage and a wealth of folktales that have been passed down for generations. When you marry these very local stories with Africa’s emerging talent, there is no limit to fresh new stories to connect people with African cultures and bring the world that much closer to each other. -Ben Amadasun, Netflix Director of Content in Africa For the first round, applicants will be required to submit a synopsis of their concept (no more than 500 words) as well as links to a recent CV and a portfolio/evidence of any past audiovisual work they have produced. Applications can be submitted via www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco from October 14th at 16:00 CET and will close on November 14th, 2021 at 13:59 PM CET. For more information about the application process, please visit www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco Media contacts: Tom Burridge, UNESCO; te.burridge@unesco.org(link sends e-mail) Mokgadi Seabi, Netflix; mokgadi@netflix.com Editors’ Notes: About The Application process: How to apply: Candidates will need to submit a synopsis of their concept (no more than 500 words) in a Creative Statement as well as a link to a recent CV and a portfolio of any past audiovisual work they have produced on netflix-growcreative.com/unesco  Applications open Applications can be made via www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco from October 14th. They will close on November 14th, 2021 at 11:59 PM (CET).  Eligibility Criteria: The competition is open to individuals seeking to venture into feature film development and production. Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years of demonstrable professional experience in the audio-visual industry. Applicants must have developed and produced 1 to 2 theatrical feature films, television fiction, documentaries, or 2-3 short films and/or commercials. Candidates must be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country and currently residing in Sub-Saharan Africa to apply. Applicants must be 18-35 years old at the time of submission.  Shortlisted finalists: We’ll announce our top 20 finalists in January who will then be invited to a “How to Pitch to Netflix” workshop. These workshops will give candidates the chance to prepare, polish, and present their film concepts with the help of industry experts. The Netflix and UNESCO judging committee will then mentor six winners to develop a 12 to 20-minute short film.   TIMELINE:  October 2021 – Application portal opens on October 14th  November 2021 – Applications close on November 14th  January 2022 – Announcement of Top 20 finalists  January 2022 – Workshop on “How to Pitch to Netflix” for shortlisted candidates  February 2022- Shortlisted candidates invited to pitch final entries to mentors  February 2022 – Final selection via a Netflix and UNESCO joint judging panel  February 2022 – Announcement of 6 winners  Spring/Summer 2022 – Development, production & post-production of films  September/October 2022 – Launch of 6 films on Netflix service 

Netflix and UNESCO have partnered to launch an innovative short film competition on ‘African Folktales, Reimagined’ across Sub-Saharan Africa. Winners of the competition will be trained and mentored by industry professionals and provided with a US$75,000 production budget to create short films that will premiere on Netflix in 2022 as an “Anthology of African folktales”.

One key aim of this competition is to discover new voices and to give emerging filmmakers in Sub-Saharan Africa visibility on a global scale. We want to find the bravest, wittiest, and most surprising retellings of some of Africa’s most-loved folktales and share them with entertainment fans around the world in over 190 countries.

It is important that the film sector acts to ensure the voices of Africa are heard, by supporting the emergence of diverse cultural expressions, putting forth new ideas and emotions, and creating opportunities for creators to contribute to global dialogue for peace, culture and development. –Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.

The competition, which will be administered by Dalberg, will open on 14 October 2021 until 14 November 2021. Each of the 6 winners will receive a production grant of US$75,000 (through a local production company) to develop, shoot and post-produce their films under the guidance of Netflix and industry mentors to ensure everyone involved in the production is fairly compensated. In addition, each of the 6 winners will also receive $25,000. –Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, Netflix

UNESCO and Netflix both strongly believe in the importance of promoting diverse local stories, and bringing them to the world. They recognize that many emerging filmmakers struggle with finding the right resources and visibility to enable them to fully unleash their talents and develop their creative careers. This competition aims to address these issues and enable African storytellers to take a first step towards showcasing their content to a global audience. –Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture

This partnership will also help create sustainable employment and encourage economic growth and it will therefore contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, a series of targets established by the United Nations which aims to end global poverty in all its forms by the end of this decade. This film competition will also help reduce inequalities by facilitating access to global markets and by guaranteeing dignified working conditions. All of these are key goals within the 2030 Agenda.

Africa has a rich storytelling heritage and a wealth of folktales that have been passed down for generations. When you marry these very local stories with Africa’s emerging talent, there is no limit to fresh new stories to connect people with African cultures and bring the world that much closer to each other. –Ben Amadasun, Netflix Director of Content in Africa

For the first round, applicants will be required to submit a synopsis of their concept (no more than 500 words) as well as links to a recent CV and a portfolio/evidence of any past audiovisual work they have produced. Applications can be submitted via www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco from October 14th at 16:00 CET and will close on November 14th, 2021 at 13:59 PM CET.

 

For more information about the application process, please visit www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco

Media contacts:

Editors’ Notes:

About The Application process:

  • How to apply:

Candidates will need to submit a synopsis of their concept (no more than 500 words) in a Creative Statement as well as a link to a recent CV and a portfolio of any past audiovisual work they have produced on netflix-growcreative.com/unesco

  • Applications open

Applications can be made via www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco from October 14th. They will close on November 14th, 2021 at 11:59 PM (CET).

  • Eligibility Criteria:
    • The competition is open to individuals seeking to venture into feature film development and production. Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years of demonstrable professional experience in the audio-visual industry. Applicants must have developed and produced 1 to 2 theatrical feature films, television fiction, documentaries, or 2-3 short films and/or commercials.
    • Candidates must be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country and currently residing in Sub-Saharan Africa to apply. Applicants must be 18-35 years old at the time of submission.
  • Shortlisted finalists:

We’ll announce our top 20 finalists in January who will then be invited to a “How to Pitch to Netflix” workshop.

These workshops will give candidates the chance to prepare, polish, and present their film concepts with the help of industry experts. The Netflix and UNESCO judging committee will then mentor six winners to develop a 12 to 20-minute short film.

  • TIMELINE:
    • October 2021 – The application portal opens on October 14th
    • November 2021 – Applications close on November 14th
    • January 2022 – Announcement of Top 20 finalists
    • January 2022 – Workshop on “How to Pitch to Netflix” for shortlisted candidates
    • February 2022- Shortlisted candidates invited to pitch final entries to mentors
    • February 2022 – Final selection via a Netflix and UNESCO joint judging panel
    • February 2022 – Announcement of 6 winners
    • Spring/Summer 2022 – Development, production & post-production of films
    • September/October 2022 – Launch of 6 films on Netflix service

 

Teenage prostitute being a hit in Kuwadzana

Rutendo Bamu:

Kuwadzana is a Shona word with deep meaning; it literally means staying harmoniously in the community. However, this has not been true for Ruvimbo (14) who joined the oldest profession – prostitution – after she fell pregnant at a tender age of 13.

The incident infuriated her parents to the extent that they chased her away, forcing the young teenager to start fending for herself through prostitution, a trade that only banks on age and physical beauty.

Ruvimbo is now a mother to a six month-old baby, pushing her to sell herself more to males so that she can feed not only herself but also the new addition to her family. To maximise on her earnings, she now leaves behind her child locked the one-roomed lodgings as she goes to Kuawadzana 6 shops to solicit for clients.

 “I was impregnated when I was doing Form 1 and my parents were very angry, so they said I was no longer their child and told me to leave their house. I was clueless, I didn’t know what to do; I just went to the bar and started making money from there. Yes, I started selling my body whilst I was pregnant.

“I raised the money for my rent and started staying here. I managed to buy preparation for my child through that way. It becomes my daily routine, now I leave my child sleeping at home so that I go and work. That’s how I will have to put food on the table for my child,” explained Ruvimbo, with tears in her eyes.

She told ZimSentinel that clients are from all age groups, but she prefers older men “who pay much better compared to their younger counterparts”.

Underage prostitution is a prostitution of a minor or a person under the legal age of consent, which is 16 years in Zimbabwe. It usually manifests in the form of sex survival in which the child engages in sexual activities to procure basic essential such as food and shelter.

Besides parents’ bitterness, the current economic situation in Zimbabwe has resulted in many children engaging in prostitution as a way of meeting their material needs. The deepening economic crisis is causing men to be insensitive and take advantage of poverty ravaged young girls to sexually exploit them.

“Men are taking advantage of these desperate kids and use them, spreading diseases. This is as a result of the economic challenges, they know even a small amount is very important to a desperate kid. This is really bad, the government should intervene”, said a Kuwadzana resident, Loveness Shoko

It is a criminal case prostituting with a child of that age, but there are no cases of any old men arrested for that offense yet it is being practiced daily.

Ruvimbo’s landlord, Rudo Mutarire said the government should swoop and arrest pedophiles, who are targeting young girls because what they are doing is just the same as raping a minor.

She also urged the government and all organisations that deal with girl child to assist children who are in trouble by giving them loans rather than leaving them risking their lives.

An elderly Kuwadzana resident, who identified herself as Gogo Zviko said teenagers of this era need to be educated on dangers of indulging in sex at a tender age and those parents should not neglect their children because of mistakes they have made, but rather educate them the right way.

Ends//