Staff Writer
Shamwari Yemwanasikana, an organisation advocating for the protection of the girl child, has raised alarm over what it describes as a growing femicide problem in Zimbabwe, with at least 13 women and children reportedly killed in domestic and intimate-partner-related incidents between June and September 2026.
The organisation said the incidents were recorded in Chikanga, Nkulumane, Southlea Park, Shamva, Hatfield, Darwendale and Glen View, while another case involved a Zimbabwean family living in the diaspora.
According to Shamwari Yemwanasikana, the victims included a pregnant woman, a serving officer, mothers and children, including an infant as young as seven months old.
The organisation said the cases should no longer be viewed simply as domestic disputes, arguing that the killings demonstrate the severity of violence against women and children within intimate and family settings.
“These are no longer domestic disputes, they are acts of femicide that show how minor disagreements are turning into brutal murders,” the organisation said.
Shamwari Yemwanasikana said its major concern was the impact of these killings on children who survive the violence, particularly those who witness the murder of their mothers.
It said such children face trauma and may subsequently be exposed to secondary abuse, neglect and stigma, despite needing support to continue with their education, social lives and recovery.
The organisation has called on the Zimbabwe Gender Commission to exercise its constitutional mandate and escalate the issue to higher offices, including the Office of the President, Parliament and relevant Government ministries.
It also urged authorities to treat intimate-partner killings as a national emergency and strengthen coordinated interventions to prevent further loss of life.
Shamwari Yemwanasikana further called on the Department of Social Welfare, the Victim Friendly Unit and other child protection actors to provide immediate psychosocial support and safe, long-term care for children left behind following femicide incidents.
“Every girl child deserves a home that is safe. We will not continue counting bodies while children suffer twice,” the organisation said.
The organisation said stronger action was needed to protect women and children from violence and ensure that survivors and affected children receive the support necessary to rebuild their lives.