News from Zambia: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

At Nakatindi hall, the GIDD Acting Permanent Secretary Lawrence Musonda, YWCA executive director Stella Nkhoma, NGOCC vice chairperson Suzanne Matale, YWIA representative Ireen Lungu and Deputy Health minister Kapembwa Simbao addressed the gathering. Ms Nkhoma emphasised that every day should be used to fight violence which was retarding development in Zambia. She was against the idea of one-off sensitisation campaigns because violence was occurring on a daily basis.

Ms Nkhoma pledged commitment to the fight against gender violence. She called for a holistic approach to finding a solution to gender violence. Ms Matale (NGOCC) commended the judiciary for meting out stiffer sentences to perpetrators of gender violence. She said recently the judiciary had been very proactive in dealing with gender violence.

Ms Matale said it was important to raise awareness about gender violence which affects the health of women. She highlighted the link between high levels of gender violence and HIVAIDS infection rates amongst women. Ms Matale said Zambian women have a critical role to play in development and they should be given a chance to make their contribution. She observed that Zambia and the world would have been in dire straits had it not been for the contribution of women.
Ms Matale also urged government to fulfill the SADC gender declaration which stipulates a 30 percent representation of women in politics and decision-making by 2005.

Ms Matale said Zambia needed a more radical approach to deal with the escalating problem of gender violence. GIDD acting permanent secretary Dr Musonda said government would ensure the implementation of the National Gender Policy which is categorical in its opposition to gender violence. Dr Musonda called for unity of purpose in fighting all forms of gender violence. He said all stakeholders must take the task seriously.

He said NGOs and government must strengthen linkages in tackling gender violence, which is a gross violation of human rights. YWIA representative Ms Lungu said young women have a lot to contribute to the fight against gender violence. She urged all stakeholders to take into account the input of young women in fighting gender violence. She also called on government to make anti-retroviral therapy available and accessible to all who need it, particularly vulnerable women and children. She observed that young children mainly get infected through abuse and it was unfair for them to even pay for the drugs. Where possible, anti-retrovirals must be free of charge she urged.

Deputy Minister Simbao said parents must endeavour to give their children equal opportunities to education as the country strives to achieve gender equity and equality. According to him, unequal opportunities to recreation and study for boys and girls are a major problem affecting gender equality. Instead of studying, many girls were consigned to doing house chores while boys relaxed and were more prepared for school work.

The Minister also condemned gender violence, particularly sexual violence which was threatening the health of women and girls. Mr Simbao said there was need to eradicate violence at all levels, starting from the home. He said government was paying serious attention to gender violence.

He said it was important to persuade men to be non-violent and that programmes need to be developed which talk to men about the importance of having a violent-free society. ZAMWATCH members, drawn from the main stream media: Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Times of Zambia, Daily Mail, The Post newspapers, carried out on the spot interviews with the participating organizations. Two community radio stations: Radio Phoenix and Radio Choice carried live interviews with the officials among them ZAMWATCH chairperson. The event was characterised with gender solidarity songs, traditional dances and poems.