Stakeholders call for the discarding of negative cultural norms such as subservice

ANTI Gender Based Violence (GBV) stakeholders in Kalomo have called for doing away with some negative cultural norms which they say contribute to the inter-generational cycle of abuse in communities.

Southern province Anti GBV coordinator, Derrick Sialondwe says there is an immediate need to do away with cultural trends, such as subservience, which increases inter-generational abuse at the community level.

Mr Sialondwe observes that the issue of teenage pregnancies and child marriages are rife in the province, as a result of the negative cultural norms.

Speaking during the on-going multi-disciplinary GBV week long training workshop at Kalomo’s Pazuri lodge, Monday, Mr Sialondwe urged anti GBV activists in the country to ensure that tenets of the GBV Act No. 1 of 2011 are enforced.

He further states that violence against children result in severe often lifelong negative outcomes.

“Cultural and gender norms critically influence society and there is need to do away with harmful ones,” prodded Southern province Anti GBV coordinator, Derrick Sialondwe.

He observes that the issue of teenage pregnancies and child marriages are rife in the province and urged anti GBV activists to ensure that tenets of the GBV Act No. 1 of 2011 are enforced. He further states that violence against children result in severe often lifelong negative outcomes.

The province has only five, One GBV stop centers but currently do not have a safe house to keep survivors before there are integrated back to their communities.

Gender based violence involves on physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, social, economic and spiritually abuses.

And the meeting welcomed the introduction of the new Police medical examination report forms which now allows other medical personnel to sign other than a medical doctor.

The new police medical examination report form 32B , now permits even nurses, clinical officers, medical licentiate to write down their findings on survivors, a duty previously reserved to doctors only.

The training workshop was called to enhance the understanding and intricacies of GBV issues with participants drawn from Kabwe, Mongu and Kalomo.

It is organized by the Zambia Centre for Communications Programme (ZCCP).