Field

In Zambia and many African countries the team gender is taken to refer to women and hence most of the people have taken it that way and when one stands to make a presentation on gender the perception is that he/she will talk about women or the female folk. In my working community the perception is not different. How then have we promoted gender equality in our work and approach. It is important to mention here that i work for a non profit making organization known as Groups Focused Consultation. This organization is based in Luapula province of Zambia and has its main office in Mansa district. In our work starting from the environmental scanning we engage both the male and the female and we ensure that each is given an opportunity to speak, and freely express themselves. The approach is inclusive of both the female and the male. In our work we do indicate that gender makes life and human life is in gender. Gender = femininity, sexual characteristics sexual category, masculinity, these variables move in pairs and for human life to be complete gender equality should take its role. Gender therefore to us is life which life is in a women and a man. I am a family man who has a wife, and four children two boys and two girls. Gender equality and mainstreaming is practised even my household level. Let me mention that besides been a leader of the group, me and my wife are counsellors and do provide couple counselling and most of the families that access this service from us feel good. AS a leader the most memorable experience in my work is success on family issues undertaken to reconnect marriages and help such marriages make informed and beneficial choices. As a leader it feels good to restore love and peace between a man and a woman.

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