PSH Love Shouldn't Hurt 2023-2026

Community, Mass, and Digital Media The contribution shared awareness, prevention and conversation trigger messages through community outreach, digital platforms, and traditional mass media. The investment is sustainable because of the digital footprint and repetetive messaging results in better recall memory of the intended message. Individuals reached through the Love Shouldnt Hurt campaign included 6,082 through community outreach, 680,952 through digital platforms, and 1,464,846 through traditional mass media. The ACM community implementation reached a total of 1,516 individuals, while traditional mass media reached 1,640,376 individuals. Commemoration Events in the Communities The project conducted various community and commemoration events, including the Love Shouldnt Hurt Valentines Rugby Tournament, Celebrity/influencer engagement workshop, Youth Day, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Forum Theatre events and district-level community innovations and dialogues. These brought the target audience together through activities of interest such as soccer, netball,forum theatre and music, which helped create congregate settings to engage in eliminating IPV/child marriages. Forum theatres introduced during the year allowed for audience interaction as they explored different options for dealing with intimate partner violence and child marriages. This approach managed to bring into the discourse the usually socially excluded and disempowered members of the community. The partner also created platforms especially for men to congregate and engage in eliminating IPV/child marriages conversations. These areas transform into secure spaces for conversation among men, who typically do not have such environments. ACM and LSH Religious Leaders sensitization meetings Religious leaders were brought together for dialogues on the negative effects of child marriages and IPV and discuss the role of the church in eliminating these. The leaders were trained on basic first-line support and an understanding of the referral pathway to enable them to assist their congregants should they require support and referrals. Hot topic and long-format radio shows The partner also scaled up on hot topic and long-format radio shows that engaged listeners in understanding IPV and child marriages, highlighting their negative effects and raising awareness of referral pathways. The approach moved away from branded programs and sought to bring the issues to hand through day-to-day scenarios that people relate to. Call Centre A total of 134 Toll-free line callers received first-line counseling for GBV-related cases. Of these 134, 59 required additional support and were referred further for post-GBV services. Most clients were reporting or enquiring about physical, emotional and psychological abuse from husbands and partners. The toll-free line received 82 calls related to child marriages and 23 cases of child abuse. All the cases on child marriages and child abuse cases were referred to the closest police and Social services department offices. 72 cases were tracked and reached relevant offices for reporting.

Project Goal: To contribute towards reduced GBV against Women and Girls, including child marriages in Zimbabwe. Objective 1: Increased comprehensive knowledge of the dangers of harmful gender norms and practices among men and women Objective 2: To promote positive gender norms attitude and practices among men to prevent GBV including child marriages. Objective 3: Increased access to post-GBV services for survivors and perpetrators Objective 4: Increased comprehensive knowledge of the negative effects of child marriage among adults and young people Objective 5: To promote positive behavior and practices that prevent child marriages Objective 6: Strengthened copying mechanisms and access to services among adolescent girls.