By MONICA KAYOMBO
GENDER-BASED Violence (GBV) has continued to persist as a grave global concern and in Zambia, it is girls and women that make up 51 percent of the population suffering from the vice.
Chief Justice (SC) Mumba Malilia said this yesterday during the multi-sectorial approach in addressing GBV in Zambia.
Dr Malila said internationally, reports have shown that nearly one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
“In Zambia, this statistic is even more alarming with 42.2 percent of women aged between 15 and 49 having faced such violence. This underscores the urgent need of addressing GBV through comprehensive and robust mechanisms,’’Dr Malila said.
Dr Malila added that states usually bear a fundamental obligation to address GBV through measures aimed at prevention, protection, prosecution, punishment, redress data collection, monitoring and international cooperation.
He said the Zambian government and United Nations have designed joint programmes on GBV, Anti-GBV fast-track-courts in all the 10 province aimed at curbing GBV at the same time expediting the adjudication of GBV cases.
“It is important to highlight that GBV poses unique challenges to justice systems worldwide. Survivors often face significant barriers, including stigma, fear of retaliation, and inadequate institutional responses, which hinder their access to justice,” Dr Malila said.
He has since commended Equality Now in Zambia for its efforts in enhancing access to justice for young girls, particularly in ensuring that they are free from the scourge of GBV and discrimination that resonate deeply with the universal ideals of equality, dignity and fairness.
He said education is a powerful tool as it opens doors, unlocks potential, and breaks the cycles of poverty and inequality that have long held back the communities.
He said the Judiciary’s commitment to combating GBV reflects a broader national effort, complemented by initiatives as One-Stop Centres by the Ministry of Health and Victim Support Unit by the Police Service
“The Judiciary reaffirms its commitment to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and accountability in addressing GBV cases,” he said.
Dr Malila pointed out that GBV is a social epidemic that can affect anyone and lead to countless devastating consequences on health and well-being.
Equality Now, Africa Regional Coordinator Judy Gitau said the organisation co-hosted the dialogue with Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) and Women in Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) to bolster collaborative response to sexual violence particularly against young girls which is an area of shared concern. Ms Gitau said Zambia has a prevalence rate of 42.2 percent of sexual GBV against women meaning almost every one in two women report some form of violence in their lifetime.
“What is more concerning is how this violence manifests in the young demography of children which is more than half of this statistic,’’ Ms Gitau said.
She said what is more concerning is how this violence manifests in the young demography of children which is more than half of this statistic.
