ZNLW angered by continued human rights violation of women and girls rights

The Zambia National Women’s Lobby is angered by the continued human rights violation of women and girls in Zambia and Africa as a whole.

Zambia National Women’s Lobby Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe says her organisation is appalled by the brutal assault and killing of two women in separate incidences in Mkushi and Mumbwa.

She says as a women movement, they find it unacceptable that 50 years after independence gender based violence should be one of the leading causes of mortality among women in Africa.

“This is the same brutality with which over 200 girls were abducted by the militia group Boko Haram in the Western African Country of Nigeria.” She says.

Ms. Katebe adds that in Zambia, cases of defilement remain high as can be evidenced by the impregnating of over 50 girls of school going age.

She described the act as inhuman and demanded that the culprits responsible for these actions must be brought to justice in the case where the girls in question are under the legal age of canal knowledge.

“We cannot allow such acts of barbarism to continue with impunity. These acts qualify the assertions that women and girls are still regarded as second class citizens who can be abused and even used as leverage in the settlement of disputes.

We demand for the protection of women and girls from such backwardness and savagery that is being witnessed. Women and girls should not live in fear of their lives and safety as if they are lesser citizens of the world.” Ms. Katebe said.

She further reaffirmed that as ZNWL they shall not relent in their efforts to ensure the empowerment of women and girls through various activities which include capacity building of Women and girls to increase their number in leadership and decision making positions as this is one of the ways in which policies that are gender friendly can be enacted.

Ms. Katebe has also called on Government to take lead on the protection of the fundamental rights of girls and women and that all citizens have a duty to care for the children in their midst.