Intervention strategies on the efficacy of GBV services in rural areas in Zimbabwe. A case of Ngorima village in Chimanimani district

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive challenge in rural communities of Zimbabwe, where access to and utilisation of intervention services were severely constrained by geographic, cultural and socio-economic barriers. This study investigated intervention strategies and their efficacy in addressing GBV in rural areas, with a specific focus on Ngorima Village in Chimanimani District, with an aim of proposing strategies to improve GBV service utilization in rural communities. A convergent parallel mixed method design was adopted combining a household survey of 50 respondents with 5 key informants interviews and 5 focus group discussions involving 30 participants drawn from community members, service providers, traditional leaders and relevant stake holders. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics using SPSS and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that existing strategies included awareness campaigns, traditional leaders engagement, health facility support and VFU services with 96% respondents aware of at least one GBV programme. However, only 10% reported that they or a household member had sought GBV related assistance. This exposed a critical awareness-utilisation gap. Cultural beliefs, distance to services, fear of stigma and economic dependency on perpetrators were the primary barriers to help seeking. These findings indicated that knowledge of services alone was insufficient to drive survivor action, consistence with broader evidence on GBV service gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study concluded that effective rural GBV intervention required integration of norm transformation, economic empowerment, mobile service delivery and coordinated referral systems. Government ministries, traditional leaders, NGOs, social welfare institutions and health services were recommended to adopt a community centered rural GBV model to bridge the identified awareness-utilisation gap.