Educate children on GBV – BETUZ

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 13:20:08 +0000

By MAILESI BANDA

THE fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) can be won if we educate children about the vice at a tender age says Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ),General Secretary Geoffrey Simantala.

Speaking during the official opening of the BETUZ women conference which is being held under the theme ”stepping up women for empowerment” Mr Simantala said grooming children to fight GBV would help in eradicate the vice.

“We want to help children from a young age to fight GBV so that as they grow up, they do not become the perpetrators or are aware when they are victims, “Mr Simantala said.

He said the union was making strides in involving women in the education sector, stating that the appointment of women affairs coordinators in all the ten provinces was part of the process of fighting GBV.

He advised the provincial women coordinators to ensure that they organised all the women folk in their respective provinces and ensure their participation in national affairs.

“Your role as provincial leadership is to ensure that you organise the women folk in the province and ensure that they participate in national events like the women’s day which will take place soon and other related programmes, “he said.

And commenting on the theme the general secretary said it was timely as the organisation was lagging behind in women empowerment.

He however said strides were being made to attain the women empowerment status in the union.

And the BETUZ central province women coordinator, Maureen Boka said in spite of financial challenges the provincial women groups were working towards attaining gender equality in the various provinces.

Mrs. Boka said the women are a huge influence and had managed to attain stability as an organisation.

“We have decided to be women of influence regardless of the challenges we face, “she said.