Zambia: Rewarding drivers of change

Lusaka, 4 June: The SADC Gender Protocol@Work Summit came to an end on 28 May last week with 15 participants scooping awards in various categories.

The winners emerged from the Local government Centres of excellency (COEs), gender based violence (GBV), leadership, emerging entrepreneur, startup business, 50/50 campaign, climate change, Faith Based Organisations, constitutional and legal rights and media.

Assistant Director Gender rights protection (MoGCD) Somon kapilima handing over a certificate and award to the winner of COE in the media category, Zambia Daily Mail COE recipient, Panic M Chilufya.

Out of the 15 awards presented at the gala night held at Cresta Golfview Hotel in Lusaka, 65% were scooped by women and 35% by men.

Government, faith based organizations, media practitioners, gender activists from all over Zambia were in attendance to compete and showcase their various projects they implement towards the achievement of the 28 targets in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.

The two days summit opened its doors on May 28, 2015 under the theme, “Now and Post 2015, Yes We Must” .

The 2015 SADC Gender Protocol Summit presented Zambia with an opportunity take stock of the progress it has made in in attaining gender equality.

Gracing the occasion, Zambia’s Ministry of Gender, Assistant Director, Simon Kapilima thanked the organizers and participants for the good and hard work they are doing in advancing gender equality in the region.

Kapilima said Zambia is one of the countries that were working round the clock to ensure there gender equality was achieved through the 50/50 representation in all sectors of decision making.

He said it was for this reason that Government is working with partners such as Gender Links in ensuring that the provisions of protocol were implemented and achieved.

He further said that as a way of advancing gender equality in the country, Government through the Ministry of Gender has put in place a new gender policy and urged participants to take advantage of its existence in the implementation of their various projects.

Kapilima recommended GL for its continued work in the promotion of gender equality in the region. He presented awards to the deserving winners and urged to them to make Zambia proud by brining trophies back home from the regional summit slated for August 2015 in Gaborone, Botswana.

The summit had more than 70 entries in 11 categories, a representation of 60% women and 40% men in participation.
This, is an indication that women are showcasing their potential as equal partners in development.

A winner of the 50/50 award, National Women’s Lobby, Capacity building and leadership department officer, Evans Kunda called for the Post 2015 to have come up with new strategies and layouts to help empower women to promote gender equality.

“There is still so much work to be done, Post 2015 organizations have to have come up with new strategies and layouts to help empower women as well as promote gender equality,” Kunda said.

Kaunda however said that the appointment of the first female vice president in Zambia is an indication that the country is embracing gender equality in trying to meet the 50/50 target.

Gender Links, Human Resource manager, Vivien Bakainaga disclosed Gender Links Zambia, in partnership with the Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ), have so far conducted four successful national summits.

For the first time, Gender Links will hold its annual regional summit side the SADC Heads of State summit scheduled for Botswana in August this year but Zambia will only be represented by winners in Emerging Entrepreneurs Category.

Bakainaga said engaging in entrepreneurship is one of the best ways in empowering women because statistics have shown that women remain in dispossessed sector, with no economic incentives.

“It is against that background that Gender Links has decided to take an empowering approach in conducting Regional Summits,” she said.

Bakainaga disclosed that Gender Links has continued growing by finding meaningful ways of working and attaining its ultimate goal of gender parity in the SADC region.

She however disclosed that like other organizations in the region, Gender Links is facing challenges with funding because its funding pot is shrinking.

Bakainaga further disclosed that country offices like Gender Links- Zambia have been depending on Regional Funding hence the need to bring on board local partners and the donor community existing in Zambia for financial assistance.

Gender Links Post 2015 is focused on strengthening country networks through identifying champions of the 28 targets of the Protocol in each country and the promotion of gender equality in constitutional provisions to ensure these are not undermined in any way.

This article is part of the GL News Service special coverage of the SADC Gender Protocol Summits underway across the region, offering fresh views on everyday news.