2016 elections chance to attain equality – lobby

ZAMBIA National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) has observed that the 2016 elections are an opportunity for the country to achieve gender equality as many parties have pledged to support the cause of women.
And the ZNWL has launched a project dubbed ‘count me in’ with the support from the United States Agency for International Development that aims to groom aspiring female candidates in six districts to effectively participate in the August elections.
ZNWL board chairperson Beauty Katebe challenged political parties to honour their commitment of fielding 40 percent of women candidates ahead of the polls.
Mrs Katebe implored the electorate to support and vote for women during the forth-coming elections.
“All political parties who have promised to field in 40 percent of women ahead of the August elections must honour their commitments and walk the talk. It must not just end in mere pronouncements,” she said.
And USAID rights and governance officer Jenny Neville commended ZNWL for its endeavour to raise the profile of women in politics.
Ms Neville said politics play a vital role in the country’s democratic dispensation.
“ZNWL is doing a commendable job in the country and it is incumbent upon the women to take the leading role as well,” she said.
And project officer Matimba Choombe said the ‘count me in’ project will be implemented over a period of one year in North-Western and Luapula provinces, which are among the areas with the lowest representation of women members of Parliament and councillors.
Mrs Choombe said the project will develop the political leadership skills of women who wish to stand as parliamentary and local government candidates through mentorship and training.
She said: “ ZNWL will work with eight political parties namely Alliance for Democracy and Development, Forum for Democracy and Development, Movement for Multiparty Democracy, National Restoration Party, Patriotic Front, Rainbow party, United National Independence party and United Party for National Development.”

Linda Kasonde: Walks where no woman walked

SEATED in the seat of authority, ready to take up the challenge, Linda Kasonde, the newly-elected first female Law Association of Zambia president, looked confident, composed and aware of what that office holds for her.
Meeting her in person and for the first time, one could tell that she is not only intelligent but a force to reckon with. She beat two male contenders and emerged victorious at the just-ended LAZ annual general meeting held in Livingstone last weekend.
Having assumed office, the first three things on her diary are: to do the right thing, to be progressive and being bold as she conducts her day-to-day work.
“I want to leave a legacy of having done the right things and be an example of true leadership to women and girls,” Ms Kasonde says.
Indeed true leadership, advocacy and activism are her trademarks that helped her sail through the election which she is ready to display in her quest to carry on the mantle of the association to greater heights.
Ms Kasonde, who is currently an administrative partner of the Mulenga Mundashi Kasonde Legal Practitioners, notes that it is not just about winning an election but rather it is about delivering on the promises one made.
“Winning an election is not enough but I must ensure I deliver on the promises I made, that are what true leadership is all about,” she expressively said.
The ardent social activist who draws her inspiration and strength, from her mother is proud that she has opened the door where no woman walked and hopes to leave it open for other women to walk through.
“Now that I have opened the door, it is time that other women aspire for this position and aim even higher. Such positions require greater strength, and women in leadership are perceived and judged harshly because it is rare to find a woman in such shoes,” Ms Kasonde said.
One thing for sure is that women bring a new dimension to the leadership table and the more women there are in decision-making positions, the more equity and equality society is bound to have.
This is why she is prepared to bring equity and equality to both men and women without disadvantaging anyone based on sex.
Perhaps, her steady progression and rise through the ranks at LAZ are what has made her so enthusiastic about her job.
“I started out as an ordinary member and rose through to the ranks of convenor of committees then honorary secretary, vice-president and now president. So you can see that my rise has been a steady progression, it is not something I just jumped into,” she recalls.
What is more interesting and appealing about her rise to the presidency is that she had no woman role model to look up to as there has been none before her.
“My favourite motto is by Madeleine Albright, American’s first woman Secretary of State of the United States, which says there is plenty of room for mediocre men but there is no room for mediocre women, meaning society judges the performance of women in jobs, research fields and industries typically dominated by men as reflective of the entire female gender,” Ms Kasonde notes.
Her reaction to the announcement of her victory, she says, came as a surprise because it could have gone either way but she describes it as overwhelming, thrilling and a big achievement.
She said, “But somehow I knew that I was going to make it based on my track record and performance, the whole time I have been at LAZ. I am glad the people I worked with like my past president James Banda and immediate past president George Chisanga, really they mentored and supported me.”
According to International Bar Association, Ms Kasonde holds an LLB degree from the University of Leicester in England and Masters degree in Law from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an Office of the Women’s Interest Group Committee of the International Bar Association and convenor of the continuous professional development committee of LAZ.
Her passion for social activism and fight for human rights and justice draws as far back as her high school days in Swaziland in the 1990s where she was taught to do community service.
During her high school days, it was mandatory to do community service and she did it with so much joy, especially that she was also mentored by her parents to always be of service to others.
The daughter of late Joseph Kasonde and Doctor Dorothy Kasonde said she did a three-year programme in law in Mbabane, Swaziland, which earned her a first job at the National Legal Aid Clinic for Women under LAZ.
“At the clinic we would provide women with free legal services and I worked there for three years and that is when I joined Mulenga Mundashi law firm. I rose to becoming a partner at the age of 30 and a few years later, I was given the honour of being made full partner,” Ms Kasonde reminisces.
Having been raised to value herself to be anything she wanted and have a profession, she is elated that she has proved a good child to her parents and still practising what was instilled in her.
Apart from being a lawyer, social activist and women’s empowerment advocate, Ms Kaonde is also a director for Alchemy Women in Leadership.
It is the hope of everyone that as a woman, she should be a mentor to fellow lawyers, be a voice of the voiceless in society and help bring sanity and justice in our society.

Number of teens living with HIV/AIDS worries Prof Baboo

A LUSAKA-BASED professor of public health and tropical medicine, Kumar Baboo, is concerned about the continued rise in the number of young people living with HIV and AIDS.

Doctor Baboo cited young people as those aged between 12-19 years old and attributed their living with HIV and AIDS to unprotected and indiscriminate sex.

Making a presentation during the Zambia Institute of Mass Communication (ZAMCOM) science café on the status of HIV/AIDS response in Zambia, Dr Baboo wondered why young people who are still in school are engaging in sex at a tender age.

ZAMCOM’s science café is sponsored by AVAC to accelerate the ethical development and global delivery of HIV prevention tools as part of a comprehensive and integrated response to the epidemic.

“What is expected of these young people is to focus on their studies instead of engaging in indiscriminate sexual behaviour. Actually the large uptake of condoms is among young people but they do not know how to use them; that is why often they end up being infected with HIV,” he said.

And Dr Baboo challenged young people to claim ownership over the voluntary medical male circumcision as it has potential to prevent over six million new HIV/AIDS infections.

“One male circumcision done prevents six new HIV/AIDS infections and cervical cancer in women. If we carry out more interventions, it means we are on the right track in our fight against HIV/AIDS,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Baboo noted that lack of uniformity in laws and policies in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and gender inequalities.

He said all institutions in the country have different views regarding GBV and gender inequalities resulting in failure to end the scourge.

“Equality is mandatory in most government institutions but when you go into the church, women are expected to be submissive and cannot take a leading role, so laws and policies are not uniform,” he said.

Adopt more women candidates – NGOCC

NON-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has implored President Lungu to challenge political parties to adopt a quota of 50 percent of women among candidates for political offices.

NGOCC board chairperson Sara Longwe noted that the quota of 50 percent will be according to Zambia’s commitment under the 2008 SADC Gender Protocol.

Speaking during a meeting with President Lungu, Ms Longwe called for the holding of the referendum separate from the general election to ensure approval and subsequent enactment of the expanded bill of rights.

“The Bill of Rights is critical to the well-being of women, youths, people with disability, elderly and poor and outlaws discrimination and introduces social, economic and cultural rights,” she said.

Ms Longwe further called for quick appointment and operationalisation of the Gender Equity and Equality Commission which will ensure that gender discrimination is eliminated.

“We call upon Your Excellency to take a keen interest into what is happening and support other locally initiated campaigns such as the Good Husband campaign, I Care About Her campaign, among others,” she said.

The women’s movement also raised concern over the high cost of living and especially with the recent price hike and shortage of mealie-meal in the country.

According to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR), the basic needs basket, the cost of a monthly food basket for a family of six, is about K4,300, which is beyond the reach of most families and is indicative of the prevalence of poverty and malnutrition.

GGAZ calls on more early marriages sensitisation

THE Girl Guides Association of Zambia (GGAZ) has observed that there is need for more sensitisation on early marriages in peri-urban areas because that is where the scourge is rampant.

GGAZ executive director Caroline Kafunya noted that girls in peri-urban areas are vulnerable to early marriages due to poverty and limited information on the scourge.

Mrs Kafunya was speaking at a sensitisation meeting on early marriages in Mtendere township under a project dubbed Youth Exchange from South to South (YESS).

The YESS campaign is being carried out in nine African countries by the YESS girls’ participants and member organisations in order to sensitise the community on the full potential of girls and women.

The meeting was attended by Zambia’s songstress and child rights activist Daputsa Nkhata, alias Sista D.

“Parents and girls in communities must realise that a girl child can also be modelled into a full grown adult with potential to be great and reach greater heights like a man,” Mrs Kafunya said.

Alice Mbewe (15), a grade nine pupil at New Mtendere Basic School, said indulging in early marriages is not healthy for girls.

She said girls her age who get pregnant face the risk of suffering from vaginal fistula which they can die from, because their bodies have not matured to handle child birth at an early age.

“My advice to my friends is that let us try by all means to stay in school and avoid engaging in relationships we are not ready for, otherwise we will end up in early marriages or getting pregnant,” she said.

And Lydia Nyika (17), a grade nine pupil at Mahatma Ghandi Basic School, reiterated calls for girls to forsake early pregnancies and marriages.

Lydia said getting pregnant whilst still living with one’s parents doesn’t show respect, a practice she described as being against the African culture.