Wina urges women to join politics

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA


Gender Minister Inonge Wina (beige chitenge suit) and Tourism and Arts Minister (green outfit) during the launch of the Gender links summit in Lusaka recently-Picture courtesy of Daily Mail

MINISTER of GENDER and Child Development Inonge Wina has called on professional women to join politics owing to the under-representation the arena is facing.

And Ms Wina has disclosed that her Ministry will soon embark on reviewing the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act of 2011 to add clauses that will criminalise GBV perpetrators

Speaking during the third Gender Links Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Gender Protocol Summit and Awards during the week, Ms Wina said professional women should make a conscious decision to join politics in order to influence decisions that affect women.
The 2014 Genderlinks SADC Gender Protocol Summit and Awards are running under the theme ‘50/50 by 2015 and demanding a stronger Post-2015 Agenda’.
She said, “the decision by women to enter politics is to confront the imbalances that exist on the political arena and women should not be talking from the terraces only”.
And Ms Wina has appealed to women’s movements to start lobbying for stronger Post 2015 SADC Gender Protocol that will strengthen the commitment to women’s rights.

“There is already lively debate on the post-2015 Agenda and pressure needs to be mounted to press home the gains in the SADC region especially in the light of the ten elections taking place in the region over the next two years,”

“The issue of gender equality cannot be overemphasised as different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered,” she said.

Mutumba Bull reflects on liberation struggle

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA




AS A student, Dr Mutumba Mainga Bull once made the white people very uncomfortable after she and dozens of her colleagues swam in the swimming pool meant for the whites only.

Today, that would be unthinkable! She did this to make the white people realise that blacks were as much human as they were.

This incident which could have landed Dr Bull and her colleagues in jail happened during the liberation struggle. Her role was primarily played during the run-up to independence which eventually saw Zambia attaining freedom in 1964.
Dr Bull fought colonialism and oppressive laws from the battle front of being a member of the UNIP youth league under the leadership of first republican president Kenneth Kaunda.
And as Zambia turns gold this year, Dr Bull had an opportunity to reflect and share her experiences.
Dr Bull took part in the liberation struggle during her school days in Western Province which later saw her move to then Southern Rhodesia for her Form four and five as then Northern Rhodesia never offered such.
During her stay in Zimbabwe, she continued with her quest to fight for equality and further demanded for services the white people had to be offered to blacks as well.
“During our time as youths, we felt we needed to fight colonialism. It is during the youth days that one feels you can conquer the world and sometimes feel you are on top of it because of the energies you have,”
“And it was during that time that I first experienced teargas canisters while fighting against the white minority regime,” Dr Bull expressively recounted.
With the energies she was endowed with, Dr Bull was now at the College University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
She managed to graduate with a BA Hons in History and was the first Zambian to be honoured with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 1963 from the University of London.
Dr Bull also did a year of postgraduate research at the University of Cambridge.
She recalls that after she was done with school, she lectured at the University of Zambia from 1969 to 1973.
“My experience was somewhat exciting and challenging because that was the time the country had the first university and I was glad I was part of the group that handled the first bunch whom I now see holding senior positions in Government and certain institutions,” she said.
Coming from a background where she took part in fighting against minority rule in Zambia, Dr Bull successfully contested the Nalolo Constituency seat in Western Province in 1973; this signified her entry in active politics.
Dr Bull made history when she was appointed first woman cabinet minister in the UNIP government. “I was first appointed health minister and that meant being in charge of all the health institutions in the country,”
My experience was both challenging and exciting again because it was during that period when Zambia has just gained its independence and there was literally nothing in terms of health infrastructure and had to start building,” recounts Dr Bull.
Guess it was somewhat challenging for her to piece up the health infrastructure at both district and provincial level. She notes “this was the period when I did a lot of travelling both locally and internationally looking for manpower because Zambia did not have nurses and doctors.”
Despite the many projects she undertook during this period, Dr Bull, a mother of three never forsook her family and ensured she provided all the love and care they needed.
With the massive developments that were taking place in Zambia and being one of the first countries to be independent in Southern Africa, lots of freedom fighters and refugees were housed here.
And that meant they were allowed to use the facilities such as hospitals, clinics and schools which saw to a growth in demand of more infrastructure.
“The fact that Zambia housed freedom fighters and other displaced people, we were made to suffer for that. Colonists would come here to attack the freedom fighters and in the process, bombs were thrown and damaged the buildings; which meant we had to start all over again erecting the buildings,”
“It was particularly worse in my constituency because it was surrounded by landmines and it was very dangerous for my people but thank you to some progressive countries which did not support the idea of colonialism,” said Dr Bull.
In 1976 Mutumba was transferred to the Ministry of Commerce but that was before the economy began to crumble. That period came when the copper prices started going down leading to the collapse of the Zambian economy.
The further collapse of the economy saw the ousting of the UNIP government from power, this forced Dr Bull to leave active politics in 1991.
In 1996 Dr Bull re-joined the University of Zambia as a senior research fellow.
She was the Director of the Institute of Economic and Social Research at University of Zambia, for three years from 2005 to 2008.
Currently she continues at the institute as a Senior Research Fellow and coordinator of the Governance Research Programme of the institute.
Certainly she has been and still is a force to reckon with and does not regret having joined politics.
“When I joined politics, I had certain goals in mind and I can safely say I do not regret having joined and I wish many more women could join,” Dr Bull advised.
She said it is now that many more women are joining politics because women movements are speaking for them unlike in the early days.
And on the supposed violence in politics, Dr Bull said it was more reason why women have to join politics to stop the violence.
She said women cannot continue watching from the terraces but should join politics in order to stop the violence.

Inflation contributing to malnutrition

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

Poor households in Africa

CENTRE for Trade Policy and Development executive director Isabel Mukelebai says the high food prices which have been necessitated by the inflation rate have contributed to poor households consuming less nutritious foods.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka recently, Ms Mukelebai said poor households are consuming smaller quantities of nutritious foods which risk in having stunted children.

She said if the inflation rate is not properly addressed, the increasing food prices will continue negatively affecting the poor.

“People have a right to make good food choices and when this is not possible due to severely low purchasing power, it not only affects the quality of life but also affects the dignity of people,”

“The impact of inflation and food prices are already being seen in the unacceptably high levels of under-nutrition,” said Ms Mukelebai.

And Ms Mukelebai said failure by citizens to consume nutritious foods will slow down human development and economic growth, hence negatively impacting national development.

She noted that these outcomes will also threaten the achievement of many national development interventions such the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Meanwhile, Zambia council for social development (ZCSD) is concerned with the inability of school leavers at O levels to access tertiary institutions.

ZCSD advocacy and information officer Chimfwembe Kana said tertiary education level still remains a challenge.

Mr Chimfwembe said 55,000 school leavers at O levels, about 15 per cent have access to tertiary institutions.

“This is perhaps one of the lowest in Southern African Development Region. And we are equally concerned with the quality of education being given in schools,” he said.

Mr Chimfwembe added that the teacher-pupil ratio at primary school level stills remains a challenge especially in rural areas.

 

 

 

Influential women discuss womanhood

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

ZAMBIA’S most influential and dynamic women met in Lusaka last week to share their experiences of the opportunities and challenges of being a woman in today’s society.
The 100, high-flying contributors took part on the televised CNBC Leading Women’s Debate, sponsored by gemstone company called Gemfields Plc.
The CNBC (Consumer News and Business Channel) is an American cable and satellite business news television channel that provides a variety of programmes throughout the business day presenting reports on the United States businesses, updates of stock market indices and commodities prices, interviews with chief executive officers, business leaders and commentary from many investment professionals.
Panellists included Bank of Zambia deputy governor Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula, Java Foods chief executive officer Monica Musonda and Zambia National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation chief programmes officer Brenda Muntemba.
According to the statement made available to the Femail recently by Langmead and Baker Limited the fast-paced discussion covered mentorship and inspiring the next generation, stimulating employment and entrepreneurship for women, striking a balance between career and family and conquering the ‘old Boys’ club.
Dr Kankasa-Mabula said “We need affirmative action, but it should not be tokenism. Part of it is breaking down the mind-set of men and showing we can do it. We are bringing a lot of value to the table as women; not trying to be men. By being professional, hardworking and focused we are making our own case.”
The sentiments were also echoed by Mrs Musonda, who said “As you go up the ladder there are fewer and fewer women; but there is also a lot of positive energy. Your network is your net worth”.
And Ms Muntemba said “We start with women speaking with their minds; women who can talk with a pen and intellect.

We have to remain feminine while doing a man’s job; you grow a thick skin. A woman has to work smarter hours, but when God wants to make a difference He will choose a woman. You have got to have a dream and go for it, you are someone, so don’t let anyone stop you”.
The statement says in opening the debate, Kagem Mining chairperson William Nyirenda told participants that “Rather as you yourselves juggle careers, family and other interests, so Gemfields and Kagem strive to balance different interests, we are at the interface between mining and marketing; between exploration and ethics. Like you, we also aim to generate employment for local people and encourage entrepreneurship, something that is really important to us”.
Mr Nyirenda said Kagem will invest U$1 million in projects in Lufwanyama district in the next two years. This will include the construction of a U$250,000 four-ward building at Nkana Clinic and three nurses’ accommodation blocks, turning the facility into a ‘mini-hospital’ along with a U$700,000 new secondary school in Chapula.
“In our own small way, we hope to inspire the next generation,” he said.
The hour-long debate, hosted by CNBC presenter Gugulethu Mfuphi, will be broadcast on CNBC Africa on Monday at 14 hours.

Lack of facilities affecting juveniles-LUO

MINISTER of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Professor Nkandu Luo (centre) officiated the Advocacy for Child Justice Community correctional centre in Chelstone, Lusaka yesterday. Picture by MAPALO LUPUPA.

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

MUNALI area member of Parliament Professor Nkandu Luo says lack of recreation facilities has contributed to the continued incarceration of juveniles in Zambia.
Pro Luo said most children opt to engage in vices which see their eventual incarceration because they have no place to play.
The law-maker said the country’s land inadequacy has largely contributed to lack of recreational facilities for children.
Pro Luo said this on Tuesday when she officially launched the Advocacy for Child Justice (ACJ) community correctional centre in Lusaka’s Chelstone township.
“Child offenders and those at risk must be considered or referred to rehabilitation centres such as the ACJ community correctional centre. We need to encourage restorative approach when dealing with children who come into conflict with the law.
In the olden days, mothers used to go to welfare centres to learn skills while their children would be taken to play parks but nowadays every little space has been taken up to building houses and a child is left with no choice but engage in illicit activities,” Pro Luo said.
Meanwhile, Pro Luo said there was need to build more correctional centres round the country for the safety of children who are found in conflict with the law.
And ACJ board chairperson Violet Namukwai says child justice systems in Zambia treat children as criminals and blame them for their behaviour, a situation which detrimental to their wellbeing.
Ms Namukwai, in her speech read on her behalf by ACJ board treasurer Richard Chakaba, said correctional centre would help the country produce responsible citizens.

State urged to help small scale women farmers

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

GOVERNMENT has been implored to help boost the farming methods for small-scale women farmers in the country.

In an interview recently, Mitengo Women Association chairperson Melania Chipungu said women farmers were still stuck with old farming methods.

Ms Chipungu said small-scale women farmers still use hoes to farm large tracts of land.

She noted “the last 50 years, a small-scale woman farmer has not done much to contribute to national food security because of the old farming methods she is using.”

Ms Chipungu said women farmers also required modern methods of farming such tractors and irrigation systems; they have the potential to contribute to national food security once empowered with modern equipment.

“Despite the challenges we are having, we are still able to make money and send our children to school and clothe ourselves,” she said.

Meanwhile, East and Southern Africa Small-Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) national coordinator Simon Mwamba said in a separate interview that the last 50 years, small-scale women farmers have not been adequately attended to. They have been restricted mainly to chicken-rearing.

He said Government needs to initiate programmes of sustainability for women farmers. “There is need to expose women farmers to modern technology and reduce commercialisation of crops,” he lamented.

And Mr Mwamba said Government should also initiate programmes on climate changes as it is also adversely affecting women.  

Justina Mutale hits African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) top 20 list for 2014

Justina Mutale

London: Justina Mutale, African Woman of the Year 2012 who is also 2014 Africa Goodwill Ambassador, has been named in the 2014 International Women’s Day Top 20 Inspirational African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE List 2014) released on 28th March 2014.

 

The ADIPWE List was founded in the year 2011 to mark the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day.  Each year in March, the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE) compiles a list of inspirational women of African origin living in Europe and elsewhere in the Diaspora.

 

 

The ADIPWE Top 20 List celebrates the success of African Women in Europe and also gives visibility to African Women who have achieved phenomenal success, but are still unknown. The List aims to inspire a new generation of African Women and to share ideas to fulfill their potential to contribute to the rebranding of Africa and the development of the continent, by identifying opportunities to transfer the vast amount of knowledge gained in Europe and the rest of the Diaspora.

 

The ADIPWE List is a result of votes cast from the African Diaspora community on who they find to be inspirational.  The reasons the listed women are found to be inspirational are included in their profiles.

 

 

Justina Mutale is an international speaker, philanthropist, humanitarian, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights activist.  She is the Founder & CEO of POSITIVE RUNWAY, an international social development organization registered on the United Nations Department for Social and Economic Affairs (UNDESA) Civil Society Database and runs a worldwide HIV/AIDS response campaign spanning six continents.

 

 

Others named on the 2014 ADIPWE List include Lupita Nyong’o, (Kenya), Actress, Film and Music Video Director; Dambisa Moyo (Zambia), Economist and Author; Femi Oke (Nigeria),Television Presenter and Journalist; Swaady Martin-Leke (Cote-d’Ivoire),Founder & CEO YSWARA; Bella Ikpasaja (Nigeria), Founding Editor Zeitgeist Africa; Jesssica Shelver (South Africa), Campaigner; Magatte Wade (Senegal) Serial-entrepreneur; Grace Amey-Obeng (Ghana), CEO FC Group of Companies; Amina Gerba (Cameroun), President and Founder of Kariliss; Hannah Acquah (Ghana), Economist, Social Entrepreneur; Hawa Dème (Mali), Chief Compliance & Internal Control Officer;  Sophie Ekoue (Togo), Journalist and Author; Amina Odidi (Nigeria), Co-Chief Scientific Officer & Director, IntelliPharmaCeutics; Agnes Giteau (Kenya), Trade Consultant – East Africa; Mina Salami (Nigeria), Award-Winning Blogger, Writer and Commentator; Ada Maduakoh (Nigeria), Director/Managing Partner, Sandown Corporate Ltd; Pauline Long (Kenya), Founder and Producer, BEFFTA Awards; Sophia Bekele (Ethiopia), Tech entrepreneur; and Wendy Luhabe (South Africa), Businesswoman & Author.

Women, youth key players in agro - NEPAD

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA
NEW Economic Partnership in African Development (NEPAD) says women and young people play a key role in agriculture and its future.
NEPAD chief executive officer Ibrahim Assane Mayaki said in a statement that agriculture in Africa can only accelerate if women are included.
Mr Mayaki said integrating women and reducing social inequalities will also preserve natural resources and the environment.
He also said agriculture has the potential to help in the creation of jobs for the youths.
“Women are the backbone of African rural agriculture and the guardians of the continent’s food security.”
“Women’s formal and informal work plays a crucial role in the economic development of sub-Saharan African countries with more than 64 percent of women working in the agricultural sector,” he said.
And Mr Mayaki said gender should be part and parcel in the formulation of agricultural policies.
He said this will contribute to improved production techniques and having women have better access
to agricultural inputs such as land, fertiliser, credit and education.
“We will see women participating more in decision-making process and better salaried job opportunities,” said Mr Mayaki.
Meanwhile, Mr Mayaki lamented that women have continued being discriminated against in the labour market.
“Their access to land is equally limited and of lower quality than men and are often ignored in rural development projects, which tend to target male-dominated activities,” he said.

‘Zambia needs sustainable population’

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA












UNITED Nations Population Fund reproductive health specialist Stephen Mupeta says Zambia needs a sustainable population which can only be attained through the use of family planning services.

Speaking in an interview with Femail recently, Dr Mupeta said Zambia should be concerned with the population that can be managed properly.
Dr Mupeta said the use of family planning services helps a country plan for its citizens and offer quality incentives. He said parents should also look at the cost implications of having so many children.
“Zambia should not be concerned with having a bigger population to fill up the vast land the country has but rather we need a population that is sustainable and one that enjoys quality life,” he said.
The doctor said failure by couples to plan has contributed to high maternal deaths in the country.

“You cannot compare the life of a woman to that of a block-making machine which can be repaired when it is unserviceable. The life of a woman cannot be replaced as she can die due to having many children.”
Dr Mupeta also said family planning is not meant to deter people from having children but rather to help them have families that they can easily manage.
Dr Mupeta has also dismissed claims that oral contraceptives do have long term side effects on girls who start taking them when they are younger.

Although, he said that minor side effects such as minor headache and weight gain are associated to contraceptive use.
“There has been a lot of talking on abstinence, unfortunately it has yielded nothing, the best thing is to advise girls to use contraceptives to avoid them dropping out of school,” Dr Mupeta said.
Dr Mupeta is of the view that girls should not shun birth controls due to the myths that they can be sterile in future.

Inculcate good morals in children - NGO

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA



PARENTS play a crucial role in ensuring that they inculcate good morals in their children to avoid juvenile delinquency in society, a child rights activist has said.
Media Network on Child Rights and Development executive Henry Kabwe said this on Wednesday following the recent arrest of school pupils in Chingola who held a sex party.

Mr Kabwe also said society should not be quick to link juvenile delinquency to the promotion of children’s rights.
“It is unfortunate that most parents and guardians are running away from their responsibility of inculcating good morals in children. This is a ‘crisis’ to the nation.
The sex party which those children had is a direct link to failure by parents to take-up their obligations.

We need to establish where the parents were when the act happened,” he said.
Mr Kabwe said parents should also be concerned that children are engaging in illicit activities due to technological advancements, such as the internet.
In a separate interview, Children in Need Network executive director Theresa Mwansa described the recent sex party as a child protection concern, signalling parents’ failure to pay particular attention to what their children are doing.
Ms Mwansa said academic excellence should go hand-in-hand with the promotion of good morals in schools.
“Academic excellence alone is not good enough; it must be accompanied with good morals. We must take a holistic approach in the up-bringing of our future generation,” Ms Mwansa said

Protecting children's right a challenge, says Info PS

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA


MINISTRY of Information and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Stephen Mwansa says protecting children's rights and voices still remains a challenge.

Mr Mwansa says the 2013 media monitoring report findings reveal that out of 9,859 stories recorded over a five-month period from 10 targeted media houses, only 530 were on children.

He said this at the 2013 media monitoring showcase and report launch on Saturday in a speech read for him by director of press and media development Isaac Chipampe.

Mr Mwansa said in a country where children make about 53 percent of the population, it is vital that they are made prominent in all types of news reporting.

"The way the media portrays children today will determine how they will develop in future," Mr Mwansa said.

He, however, commended the media for striving not only in giving coverage to children but also doing so in an ethical manner.

Mr Mwansa said "on a notable improvement in reporting, trends also show the increment of protection and promotion of child rights from 97 percent to 99 per cent in 2013."

And speaking at the same function, Save the Children director of programmes Beyant Kabwe noted that the media now reports more ethically on children than before.

Mr Kabwe said the media has now realised the importance of reporting on children.

He said: "the media has also given children opportunities to participate through various platforms and this is evident in the programmes that have been created on both electronic and print media."

Work hard, don't depend on men'

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

Mrs Mulenga in her maize field-Picture by Sitembile Siwawa

SHE has sworn that age will not deter her from realising her dreams of becoming one of the successful female farmers in the country.

Felistus Mulenga, 61, is also not a commercial farmer who uses modern methods of farming; hers is unique because she still uses a hoe to till her five-acre piece of land.

Although she operates as a small-scale farmer in Lusaka's Ibex Hill, Ms Mulenga now boasts of having built a five-bedroom house.

With the aid of her husband, Ms Mulenga also boasts of adequately managing her family including her grandchildren.

This mother of eight recounts: "I pay for my child's college fees and I have also been paying for my grandchildren's school fees."

Ms Mulenga has only been into serious farming business for the past three years. She was prompted to engage in farming after encountering various problems at personal and family level.

"I used to encounter a couple of problems and I thought I needed to do something about it and what came to mind was farming. I also needed to pay for my son and grandchildren's school fees.

Farming proved to be lucrative business," Ms Mulenga said. The problems she encountered made her realise that there are so many solutions to life's challenges, especially for women.

"I engaged into serious farming business three years ago and when I started, I only used to grow maize because I thought it was the only crop which could grow during the rainy season," she recounts.

Through her involvement with Mitengo Women's Association, Ms Mulenga was trained in various farming practices in different crops.

Mitengo Women Association is a non-profit- making organisation with a focus of reaching out to female peasant farmers in Chongwe and transforming their lives through capacity building programmes and income-generating activities.

"When I first grew tomatoes during one rainy season, I had such a good yield and sold quite a lot. This encouraged me to diversify into a variety of crops," Ms Mulenga said.

The profit she realised from the tomatoes encouraged her further to take farming as a full-time business with a view to diversifying into different kinds of crops such as cabbage, white robe, beans, potatoes and okra.

She also manages a mini-orchard. One of her major challenges is the lack of a ready market for her produce.

"My produce is not easy to sell. This is because similar goods are sold at every selling point. The business is very competitive.

I also lack modern equipment such as tractors and irrigation equipment," Ms Mulenga said. Due to her inability to make enough money, she has been unable to open a bank account.

Ms Mulenga has since appealed to Government to assist women small-scale farmers in their endeavours.

Ms Mulenga said: "Women farmers lack money to transport their produce to right markets. We need Government to help us with grants. This, we believe, could help us enhance our capital base."

 She has since urged women to work hard and not depend on men for survival. "Women should work hard to survive in life.

It is unfortunate that some women engage in promiscuous activities because they cannot fend for themselves," she said.

Ms Mulenga said there are so many things women can do and that it is wrong for one to be unproductive.