Fri, 30 Dec 2016 09:50:51 +0000
By SANDRA MACHIMA
THE increased cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) has become a national crisis that needs serious reflection on what should be done to curb the scourge, says Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) executive director Engwase Mwale.
Ms Mwale has called upon the national leadership to facilitate a national strategy on how best GBV could be curbed and rooted out of communities because no leader would love to preside over a nation whose citizens were victims of broken morals and values because of gender-based violence.
She said the increase of GBV cases that had in most cases resulted in loss of lives in the recent past had become a source of concern that needed serious intervention.
“This surely is no longer an advocacy issue by few organisations but a matter deserving full national attention – the church, NGOs, business sector, associations and unions, the media, public service, law makers, civic leaders, traditional leaders and the executive all need to come together,” Ms Mwale said.
Ms Mwale said the spate of violence based on gender appeared to look like for every man violated or killed, a lot more women were losing their lives.
She said it was clear that the violent incidences in homes only pointed to a serious breakdown of spousal relations and family ties given the unprecedented reports of wife and husband battering and lately killings.
Ms Mwale said it was unfortunate that GBV incidences seemed to be on the upswing despite the awareness on the vice.
She said this was a time the entire nation should get into serious reflection on what should be done collectively to curb the scourge.
“After receiving reports of four men who recently died as a result of misunderstanding and violent conduct by their spouses, a woman in Ndola on the Copperbelt was burnt by her husband and later died. Sadly, we are now faced with this latest mishap where another woman in Kafue has perished at the hands of the evil vice of violence,” Ms Mwale said.
Ms Mwale said the unfortunate turn of events where men had become victims of GBV was definitely sending shivers to many families and communities.
