Gender based violence must be targeted at children

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

ADVOCACY on gender-based violence (GBV) must be targeted at children as they are the custodians of the future, says Zambia Civic Education Association (ZCEA) executive director Judith Mulenga.

Ms Mulenga said the current crusade on GBV has only focused on adults and not children who are the main victims of the vice.

"GBV is only a result of the way we treat the children in society and if we do not treat them with respect or dignity then we will have a society that is full of abusers," she said.

She said GBV proliferation has become evident in our societies because children in the past were exposed to various forms of abuse, adding that the whole fight against the vice must start with parenting, as mothers and fathers are the key people in modelling children in society.

"If you abuse or manhandle a little boy, he will turn out to be an abuser in future and if you abuse a little girl then you are grooming her to be prepared for more beating in future or to be an abuser herself," she said.

And ZCEA board chairperson EnockMulembe said everyone should desire to develop informed citizens who will promote and protect him/her rights and those of others in the community.
 
"As ZCEA we lobbied and saw an abolishment of corporal punishment in schools in the education Act of 2011," he said.

Mr Mulembe said there is need for children to know their rights and that is his organisation has established over 400 child rights clubs throughout the country in community, basic and high schools.