ZAMBIA LAUNCHES REDUCE ADOLESCENT PREGNANCIES (RAP) CAMPAIGN

By ANNIE ZULU

Government has launched the Reduce Adolescent Pregnancies (RAP) campaign with the aim of preventing early and unintended adolescent pregnancies in Zambia.

Speaking during the official launch of the campaign in Lusaka, Vice President Mrs Mutale Nalumango, who was represented by Community Development and Social Services Minister, Ms. Doreen Mwamba said this was one of Government's many interventions towards the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancies in the country.

Mrs. Nalumango noted that adolescent pregnancies are a threat to national development and that Government working with various stakeholders is scaling up efforts toward the issue.

“As Government, we are certain that all efforts coupled with this campaign will see a big reduction in adolescent pregnancies,” Mrs Nalumango said.

The Vice President also encouraged children to make right decisions and get the required skills to be productive citizens in future.

And Ms. Mwamba whose Ministry seats the Child Development Department, said her Ministry is strengthening sensitization and training programmes targeted at vulnerable households and individuals, as many incidences of adolescent pregnancies occur due to factors associated with poverty and vulnerability.

In a speech read on her behalf by Child Development Department Director Bridget Mooya, the Minister said her Ministry is also enhancing the the welfare and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable people, reducing developmental inequalities and mitigating violence against women and children, among others.

Ministry of Education Education Minister Douglas Syakalima  who was represented by the Ministry Directo´s for Health and Nutrition Malalu Mulundika, stated that statistics shows that 16, 419 girls dropped out of school in 2020 due to pregnancy and that only 7, 954 were re-addmited.

Minister of Health Ms. Silvia Masebo represented by the Ministry`s Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Professor Luckson Kasonka, stressed the need to empower adolescents with knowledge and information on condoms as dual protection against pregnancy and Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) and on contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.

Meanwhile, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative Gift Malunga assured Government and Zambia of the UN`s support towards ending adolescent pregnancies in the Country.

And giving on vote of thanks on behalf of her fellow children Sithembile Mwale thanked Government and stakeholders for their efforts towards ending adolescent pregnancies in Zambia, which she described as an urgent issue which must be addressed.

Also present at the event was Youth, Sport and Art Minister Elvis Nkandu, British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Woolley and other various stakeholders.

MEET BEAUTY THE ´GOAL GETTER´, KGS BENEFICIARY FROM LUFWANYAMA

By ANNIE ZULU

“An opportunity to education is the best gift that I have ever received”, say Beauty Chitengi  19, a beneficiary of the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) Programme from Lufwanyama District.

Beauty, recalls how she almost dropped out of school and her future looked uncertain in 2018, when she was in Grade 10.

Her mother who was divorced and could hardly provide food for Beauty and her two siblings, could no longer afford to pay for her school expenses.

“Life became so hard that sometimes we went go to bed without food and I was almost dropping out of school,  because there was no free education then and things were tough for my mother,” she said.

Beauty Chitengi

However, help came right on time for Beauty as she was considered for the Keeping Girls in School Programme and her mother put on the Social Cash Transfer Programme.

According to her, the KGS programme changed her life and made her realise that every dream is attainable with education.

“With the help I received on the programme, I successfully completed high school in 2020 and did well in my exams. I now can be whoever I want and my desire is to go to University and became a Clinical Officer, as I am passionate about saving lives and I don't think I would have all these aspirations without education,” she said.

She further implored Government to consider extending the KGS programme to tertiary education level, so that many girls can attain tertiary education.

Meanwhile, Community Development and Social Services Minister Honourable Doreen Mwamba has reassured that Government will continue  to prioritize girl`s education through various  programmes.

Ms. Mwamba noted that education is every child's right and that every girl child deserves the opportunity to receive one.

“Education enables economic independence for girls and also empowers them with the necessary knowledge to effectively oppose oppressive norms that perpetuate different forms of violence against them. The New Dawn Government is therefore committed to ensuring that girl child education is prioritized,” Ms. Mwamba said.

Keeping Girls in School (KGS) is a component of the Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) project being implemented by Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and other line Ministries.

The World Bank-funded project promotes adolescent girls’ access to secondary education and supports women’s empowerment and livelihoods initiatives in Zambia.

AU TRAINS JOURNALISTS ON FGM AND CHILD MARRIAGE REPORTING IN AFRICA

 

By ANNIE ZULU in Nairobi Kenya

Over 30 Journalists from East and Southern Africa  gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for a three-day media training on ‘Sensitive Reporting on Harmful Practices.'

The training organized by the African Union (AU) Ending Harmful Practices Unit in collaboration with the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme, UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, and partners kicked off last week and brought together 34 media practitioners and scholars from ten countries including Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Somalia.

 

Journalists from 10 countries attended the training on sensitive reporting on FGM and Child Marriage

The event aimed to garner the support of media representatives and university journalism faculty members in leading media sector actions and reforms toward ethical, informed, balanced, human rights-focused and victim-sensitive reporting on harmful practices.

The journalists were drawn from AU member states currently implementing the African Union campaigns on ending Child marriage and eliminating female genital mutilation.  

Journalists engaged in the training will form a network of journalists reporting on FGM and child marriage in Africa. 

Despite critical progress being made in eliminating FGM, an estimated 55 million girls under the age of 15 in 28 African countries have experienced or are at risk of experiencing FGM.

Globally, one in every five girls is formally married or in an informal union, before reaching age 18. In developing countries, that number rises to 36 percent of girls married before age 18, and 10 percent of girls married before age 15. 

In his remarks to participants, UNFPA Kenya Deputy Representative Dr Ezizgeldi Hellenov noted that journalists have a role to play in raising awareness on sensitive social issues such as FGM and child marriage, while upholding the rights and dignity of survivors.

“The media is trusted to shape public discourse through balanced reporting, and must hold policy-makers and other actors accountable when it comes to creating a safer and more equal world for women and girls,” said Dr. Hellenov. 
 
In line with the African Union campaigns on the elimination of FGM  and child marriage, participants engaged in the training will form part of an Africa-wide network of Media practitioners reporting on harmful practices.

The network will facilitate coordinated and engaged media coverage while allowing members to share experiences, lessons learned, and best practices in human rights focussed reporting against Harmful practices that affect women and girls in Africa.

In addition, there will be an annual award and recognition event for the top three outstanding media practitioners reporting on harmful practices on the continent.

A second similar training programme is planned in the West and Central Africa region, covering ten countries, including Niger, Nigeria, Mauritania, Egypt, Chad, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Liberia.

 

GEWEL PROJECT SUCCESS RATE ELATES MINISTER

By ANNIE ZULU

The Girls Education, Women Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) Project has made tremendous progress in alleviating poverty levels in Zambia since its inception, Community Development and Social Services Minister Doreen Mwamba has said.

Ms Mwamba noted that the key results for the project included the Supporting Women's Livelihood (SWL) component which has reached approximately 96, 368 women and the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) component with over 70, 514 beneficiary girls. 

The Minister also mentioned the Social Cash Transfer (SCT), as another key result area for the project with over 973, 323 beneficiaries. 

She was speaking when she accompanied World Bank Regional Vice President Dr. Victoria Kwakwa to meet some of the project's beneficiaries at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District. 

"As of 30th June 2022, which is the middle of the project, the budget burn down stood at 49.85%, this is despite the setbacks during the Covid 19 outbreak," Ms. Mwamba said.

 

Hon. Mwamba interacts with pupils at Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District.

Speaking at the same event, General Education Minister Dr. Douglas Siakalima  thanked World Bank for partnering with Government in financing the project, stressing that the project has improved livelihoods for many Zambians, especially women and girls.

Meanwhile, Dr Kwakwa has assured the New Dawn Government of support from the World Bank on projects that are aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the livelihoods of Zambians. 

She also commended Government for meeting majority of the targets of the GEWEL project.

"We recognize the efforts by the New Dawn Government in alleviating poverty and promoting gender equality, as World Bank we support such efforts," Dr. Kwakwa said. 

And when giving a vote of thanks, a parent Margaret Tembo testified that the GEWEL project has changed the lives of women and girls in Shibuyunji. 

"Through the project, women are able to do business and feed their families. Girls are being supported and encouraged to be in school," she said. 

The GEWEL project is a Cash Plus Social Protection programme that support the poorest families in Zambia with cash transfers which empowers them to reduce their poverty levels over the longer term through complementary interventions of Supporting Women's Livelihoods (SWL) and Keeping Girls in School (KGS) layered over the same households.

MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES INTERVENES TO CHANGE LIFE OF 96 YEAR OLD WOMAN

 By ANNIE ZULU

A 96 year old blind woman of Makunka area in Livingstone, who has been living in a ramshackle, has been identified by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, in order to support her.

This is in an effort to put Ms Maria Syampwili Mukasibukandu on the social cash transfer programme in the shortest period of time.

Officers from the Ministry located the old lady who also has a problem with hearing and in need of basic needs such as blankets, clothes, food and proper shelter, to see how her situation can be changed.

Ms Mukasibukandu’s situation has now worsened and requires that she benefits from the programme, so that she can have access to a stable monthly income to support her.

The Ministry officers who visited her agreed with her granddaughter whose husband is also sick, to provide immediate needs such as shelter, food, and other items in the interim as they wait for her to be included on the programme.

Meanwhile, Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Ms Doreen Mwamba who was in touch with the officers, has pledged to support all the efforts to take care of the woman, considering that she has suffered a lot and is advanced in age.

Ms Mwamba further said the New Dawn government will prioritize issues to do with vulnerable people, hence the continued call to identify as many people as possible especially the old people in order for them to be included on many social protection programmes.

ABN'S TV JOURNALIST, IDAH BANDA HONOURED

By ANNIE ZULU

Some journalists and other stakeholders have honoured ABN TV's Idah Banda Musakanya for her news reports that highlight challenges that people face in the communities.

The ABN TV Journalist has been known for a while to cover several human interest stories that have seen people in need get assistance with the most recent one involving a 56 year old man who has been taking care of his differently abled teenage daughter's menstrual hygiene.

And speaking on behalf the group, Itezhi-Tezhi Member of Parliament, Hon. Twaambo Mutinta encouraged other journalists to cover  human interest stories as their importance can never be overemphasised.

He said such stories are important as they bring people closer to real issues and help in identifying ways of solving problems that exist in the communities.

He also encouraged Ms Musakanya not to relent in her effort as her work is noticed together with the impact that they make.

"Keep on doing your level best, you might think that what you do is not noticed but it is and I hope that more journalists can take up human interest stories like you do." He said.

GOVERNMENT COMMITED TO ELIMINATE HARMFUL PRACTICES ON CHILDREN

By ANNIE ZULU

Government is committed to eliminating all harmful practices against children in Zambia, Acting Community Development and Social Services Minister Chushi Kasanda has said.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Mrs Beatrice Chilufya Darko at the commemoration of the Day of The African Child in Lusaka, Ms Kasanda noted that children were the country’s future and as such, must be protected.

Ms Kasanda said Government will therefore, endeavor to mobilize and enhance partnerships with its stakeholders to work towards ending harmful practices that stands in the rights of children.

She noted that this year's commemoration whose theme is “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practices Since 2013”, accords Zambia an opportunity to reflect on its commitment towards children under the African Charter for the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

“The commemoration of the Day of an African Child accords us an opportunity, each year to reflect on how we have performed collectively in implementing interventions aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing and development of our Zambian children,” Ms Kasanda said.

At the same event, the simplified version of the African Charter on The Rights of Children and the research report on Gender, Climate Change and Education were launched by Plan International.

The Minister said Government will ensure that the document is made accessible to all children in Zambia so as to enable them learn about their rights and responsibilities.

She also called for child-led climate-adaption initiatives, so as to promote their participation in decision-making.

Meanwhile, Plan International acknowledged Government’s towards eliminating harmful practices affecting children.

In a speech read on his behalf by Plan International Influencing Specialist Annely Imasiku, Country Director James Pimundu said Zambia is making strides in ensuring the wellbeing of children in Zambia.

Mr Pimundu noted that this has been evidenced by various documents that Government is putting in place such as the 2021-2025 National Prevention and Response Plan on Ending Violence against Children, Strategy on ending Child Marriage and the Children’s Code Bill among other.

And In giving a vote of thanks, Youth Activist Nelly Ndhlovu thanked Government and its stakeholders for their efforts in creating a safe environment for children to grow and realize their potential.