In a concerted effort to combat harmful practices affecting vulnerable populations, the Government, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), have held discussions aimed at implementing interventions to address harmful practices such as gender-based violence (GBV), and early and child-forced marriages, among others.

The collaborative efforts come as a response to the urgent need to safeguard the rights and well-being of individuals, particularly women and children, who are negatively affected by these detrimental practices.

This came to light when (UNFPA) Deputy Country Representative, Ms Anna Holmstrom, paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Ms Doreen Mwamba.

The duo discussed wide-ranging issues with the Minister acknowledging the continued high prevalence rates of harmful practices, despite various interventions that have been put in place and therefore called for more collaborative efforts to change the narrative going forward.

According to the 2023 annual gender-based violence data from the Zambia police, national Victim Support Unit, 42,965 cases of GBV were reported countrywide as compared with 33,536 GBV cases recorded in 2022 indicating an increase of 9,429 cases translating to a 28.1% increase.

Ms Mwamba therefore disclosed that various efforts
such as awareness-raising campaigns, community education, legal measures, and support for survivors have been put in place and will be strengthened to overcome these challenges.

“Furthermore, Zambia has ratified several international agreements into domestic laws which include, the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, and the SADC protocol on gender and development” she said.

She emphasized that the Government will continue to prioritize measures aimed at reducing and preventing gender-based violence in an all-inclusive approach.

And Ms Holmstrom said UNFPA recognizes the efforts of the Zambian Government such as the enactment of the Children’s Code Act to address many issues affecting children and women and stands ready to support other interventions.

She said the current legislative and policy framework that protects victims of gender-based violence is encouraging and sets a good pace for progress to be made.

Recognizing the detrimental impact of GBV and early child marriages on individuals, families, and communities, Ms Holmstrom further underscored the importance of concerted action to address these issues comprehensively.

She further emphasized the need for holistic approaches that address the root causes of GBV and early child marriages, such as gender inequality, poverty, lack of education, and harmful cultural norms.
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