Fredrick Moyo
MASVINGO- In an effort to reduce child abuse, Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) recently conducted a youth leadership training at Langhorne Presbyterian Church in Masvingo educating youths about Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), sexual abuse and child marriages.
The youth leadership program aimed at educating youths and making them aware of their constitutional rights in an attempt to curb child marriages and sexual harassment that youths face in churches.
EFZ Masvingo Co-ordinator, Bernard Katenjele said they were rolling out awareness campaigns equipping youths with necessary life skills on how to deal with abuse issues.
“This is an event where we are trying to equip youths and create awareness and the greatest thing that we have done is to make sure that we do awareness campaigns and we target youths educating them and also telling them that there are certain rights that they have that protects them from different types of abuse,” said Katenjele.
He also added that they are urging youths not to have second thoughts about reporting abuses even in churches.
“We are telling and encouraging youths in churches that whenever their rights are violated, they should go and report, so that they protect themselves from anything or anyone who violate them,” added Katenjele.
A youth who attended the event, Hepson Jangano said that training program was good for youths as they were taught about SRH and girl child empowerment.
“The training program came at the right time and we were taught about SRH, good health and also that the girl is equally capable just like their male peers,” said Jangano.
EFZ has also joined hands with Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in fighting child marriages and sexual harassment in churches by writing petitions.
