Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called on the government to reestablish the Ministry of Gender.
Speaking during a press briefing in Mpika District, Nakonde District Women Association Treasurer Cleopatra Namonje said that women in Muchinga and Northern Province would like the government to consider reintroducing the Ministry of Gender.
The Ministry of Gender was dissolved and moved to the Office of the President in 2021.
Ms Namonje said that the ministry will be well placed to coordinate Gender mainstreaming in the public, private and civil society spaces once reintroduced.
“While we appreciate the work of the division, we believe issues of women require a dedicated Minister present in cabinet and also in parliament, and accessible to the women,” Ms Namonje said.
NGOCC Board Secretary Patricia Mukumbuta said there is a big gap in the parliamentary discourse because women do not have anyone speaking about gender issues in the house.
“We do not have anyone who will speak to the gender aspects even as they deliberate in parliament, because whatever we do be it budgeting, policies, there are gender aspects to it,” Ms Mukumbuta said.
Meanwhile, Development Organisation for Peoples Empowerment (DOPE) Women’s Programme Coordinator Elizabeth Domingo said women have not been benefiting fully in rural areas in terms of government programmes.
Ms Domingo added that the government should look into empowering more women with agricultural loans.
“As women, we are very ready to have access to farming activities and mines, we can also dig gold, may we have someone to speak for us,” Ms Domingo said.
You do not need a Minister to raise this issues. How many female members are in the National Assembly? How many are Ministers and Cabinet members? Ask them to raise the gender based issues forcefully. After all they used theirs gender when campaigning to be allected.
Every article is about sexuality, what’s wrong with you people. You want a ministry for Gold diggers too?
Ministry of Trans-gender will make sense.
What happened to the call for a gender commission that is in the Presidency? Looking forward to seeing more women aspiring candidates in the 2026 elections
Why should we burden government with an
Extra ministry when we already have so many
Other important priorities to concentrate on.
It will be a drain in the already tight budget.
No they can abolish the ministry of information and replace it with the ministry of gender or rather of women affairs
Additional ministries mean a bloated cabinet which is too expensive for the country at this juncture. In any event, I am sure there’s a ministry which also takes care of such, among other functions. And the Veep’s office plays this role a lot.
Just trying to join the band wagon
With so many NGO’ looking after the welfare of women, we have neglected the boy child. Now we have more Junkies and women still want a Ministry dedicated to their needs. The West has bewitched our mothers, they paint a picture of an abusive African mindset towards women. I suggest these mothers spend a week in Afghanistan under the current rulers. They will know that they have good here.
Also, they explicitly state that gender mainstreaming is a goal ! I thought this would be illegal in Zambia as it clearly goes against our morals and norms. How can this organisation even be allowed to exist?
I would recommend all who are interested in our children’s future to investigate what gender mainstreaming actually means .. You’ll be horrified.
Unfortunately many have the misconception that gender means putting women interests ahead of men. Our biggest problem isn’t gender related, so we don’t need to have a Ministry just to address gender matters. What is it that’s missing which was present when we had a gender minister? Nothing
One way of smuggling in the gay campaign. The gays are the ones who dont acknowledge their gender preferring to identify with the mental one that they have.
For clarity, Gender is both sexes. These women could be lost thinking gender is women.
Yayi gender is more than sex. In the West it very much includes LGBTQ issues
@ Napapata I agree with you, we usually make this mistake of thinking that gender is just about women.
Gender is about both men and women in relation to their sociocultural roles/responsibilities therefore, anyone can advocate for gender equality or gender representation
Women have flawed thinking bcuz all their problems start with “men”…like menstruation,menopause ,mental anguish ….
But in reality even us as gentlemen we’re a gender too so what about that? Let’s focus on food security rather than this non issue.