#VoiceandChoice 2020 Summit held in Zambia

For immediate release,

Lusaka, 2 December 2020 :  The Zambia #VoiceandChoice summit hosted by Gender Links (GL) and the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance, in partnership with the Local government Association of Zambia and The Commonwealth local Government Forum (CLGF) ended on the 2^nd of December with 10 people receiving awards in 5 categories.

Held under the theme “Voice and Choice: Local Action for a Strong 2030 A-gender in Southern Africa” the three-day event was attended by 120 delegates from Civil society Organisations,7 local Authorities and civic leaders  who presented 58 good practices across 5 categories.

The event coincides with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence that runs from 25th November to 10th December 2020. The summit provided a platform for participants to discuss strategies on ending Gender Based Violence. The 2020 16 Days of Activism’s theme is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, and Collect”.

The main objectives of the summit are to gather evidence on #voiceandchoice through case studies on action, leadership and institutional practice; to acknowledge and affirm survivors of gender violence who are reclaiming their lives; to establish new baseline scores for the Centres of Excellence for gender in local government in line with the Agenda 2030 SADC protocol on Gender and Development and to promote discussion and reflection on what works to achieve gender equality and justice.

The #VoiceandChoice Summit facilitates learning and sharing best practices from various sectors including Government departments, Non-Governmental organisation (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), Local Government councils as well as the media. Case studies were shared in different streams including Youth in Action, Media, Entrepreneurship as well as Centres of Excellence Institutional Awards.  It serves as a springboard to call government to account for gender equality commitments made in the SADC Gender Protocol and the Sustainable Development Goals. The summit will pave way for the localisation of the recently adopted SRHR National strategy.

In in light of the national and local elections taking place in Zambia in 2021, the summit also included plenaries on #VoiceandChoice and fifty –fifty campaigns lead by Alliance country focal point. The plenaries included panellists from Women in local Government Forum, The ministry of gender, Women in law for Southern Africa and the National women’s Lobby Group.

During the official opening, Gender Minister Elizabeth Phiri said “We must as government, the private sector, civil society organisations and the church, stand together and find resources to end Gender Based Violence. I wish to assure the women who wish to stand in next year’s elections that the government will ensure that you are protected. As I have repeatedly said in the last few weeks, I challenge every woman out there and those gathered here to think about standing as members of parliament and councillors,”

From 2019, GL and the Alliance have run the #VoiceandChoice campaign focusing on the importance of enabling women, to have voice, choice and control over their own Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). GL worked with 10 councils to update their SRHR plans. The 2020 summits provided an important checkpoint to evaluate the implementation of the campaigns and action plans at national and local level. The event was also an opportunity for media houses to showcase their best practice on how they are increasing women’s voices in and through the media.

The Voice and choice campaign connects the dots from global to regional to local level in the implementation of the gender equality frameworks.  One hundred and twenty people participated in the summit with 58 entries submitted.

The following are the winners in the different streams

 For more information contact Albert Ngosa/ 0963266323 OR visit our website and Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to join the #VoiceandChoice Campaign.