Thanks Ellen Mutinta Hambuba for sharing the picture with Rainbow Newspaper Zambia (2007) Limited Executive President Derrick Sinjela with Ellen Mutinta Hambuwa at the Lusaka Showgrounds on Monday 9th March 2020 during the International Women’s Day ‘belated’ (IWD) theme: “I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights”

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Republic of Zambia
SPEECH BY
HIS EXCELLENCY DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA,
ON THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S
DAY
HELD ON MONDAY 9TH MARCH, 2020
STATE HOUSE
LUSAKA
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 THE CHIEF JUSTICE, HER LADYSHIP, JUSTICE IRENE
MAMBILIMA;
 THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, RIGHT HON.
DR. PATRICK MATIBINI, SC.;
 SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT PARTY,
MR. DAVIES MWILA;
 HON. CABINET MINISTERS PRESENT;
 THE SECRETARY TO THE CABINET;
 HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LUSAKA;
 LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES;
 HON. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT PRESENT;
 PERMANENT SECRETARIES PRESENT;
 THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR, MS.
COUMBA MAR GADIO;
 MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS;
 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HOUSE OF CHIEFS;
 REPRESENTATIVES OF RELIGIOUS AND FAITH-BASED
ORGANISATIONS;
 PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS;
 DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;
 MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TO ADDRESS YOU ON THIS
IMPORTANT OCCASION AS WE COMMEMORATE THE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY FOR THE YEAR 2020.
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IN RECOGNISING THE CENTRAL ROLE WOMEN PLAY IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THE WORLD LEADERS REALISED
THAT THERE WAS NEED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC TIME WHEN
NATIONS CAN CELEBRATE WOMEN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
WELLBEING OF THE SOCIETY. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING
NOW. THIS YEAR, THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY IS
BEING COMMEMORATED UNDER THE THEME, “I AM
GENERATION EQUALITY: REALISING WOMEN’S RIGHTS.”
THE THEME BUILDS ON THE SIXTEEN DAYS OF ACTIVISM
AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE FOR 2019 WHICH
EMPHASISED ON GENERATION EQUALITY AS A STRATEGY FOR
FIGHTING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. IT IS WORTH NOTING
THAT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE FLOURISHES IN
ENVIRONMENTS OF HIGH GENDER INEQUALITIES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
GENDER EQUALITY IS A RIGHT. IT IS INTRINSICALLY LINKED TO
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND VITAL FOR REALISING
HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL.
THEREFORE, THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF GENDER EQUALITY
IS TO ACHIEVE A SOCIETY IN WHICH WOMEN AND MEN;
BOYS AND GIRLS; ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS, SAME
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN ALL SPHERES OF
THEIR LIVES. WHEN THIS IS ACHIEVED, OUR COUNTRY WILL BE
ABLE TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES CONFRONTING US, SUCH
AS GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, INADEQUATE HEALTH CARE
FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN, CLIMATE CHANGE,
INADEQUATE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND PRODUCTIVE
RESOURCES WHICH ARE CRITICAL FOR ENHANCED
ECONOMIC GROWTH.
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MY GOVERNMENT’S VISION IS TO HAVE A ZAMBIA FREE FROM
GENDER INEQUALITIES. IN THIS REGARD, ZAMBIA HAS
PURSUED THE GENDER EQUALITY OBJECTIVE SINCE THE
HOLDING OF THE FIRST WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN
1975 IN MEXICO WHICH DECLARED THE FIRST DECADE FOR
WOMEN, AND THE HOLDING OF THE FOURTH WORLD
CONFERENCE WHICH CAME UP WITH THE BEIJING
DECLARATION AND PLATFORM OF ACTION.
HOWEVER, REALISING THIS OBJECTIVE OF GENDER EQUALITY
HAS NOT BEEN EASY BECAUSE OUR SOCIETY IS STILL
STRONGLY PATRIARCHAL AND IS GOVERNED BY MALE
VALUES. THESE PATRIARCHIAL VALUES WHICH FIGHT A
WOMAN WHICH BE FOUGHT STARTING WITH US NOW.
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WOMEN
AND MEN, GIRLS AND BOYS ARE GIVEN EQUAL VALUE AND
OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL AREAS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
I CALL UPON TRADITIONAL LEADERS TO HELP US ACHIEVE
GENDER EQUALITY IN OUR SOCIETY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
THIS YEAR’S THEME DRAWS US TO THE IMPORTANCE OF
DRIVING THE GENDER EQUALITY AGENDA ACROSS ALL
GENERATIONS. HENCE, WE NEED TO CARRY EVERYONE
ALONG REGARDLESS OF AGE.
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THIS IS WHY THE CENTRAL THEME IN OUR DEVELOPMENT
FRAMEWORK AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE 7TH NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PLAN, IS NOT TO LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND. WE
CANNOT ACHIEVE DEVELOPMENT IF GENDER INEQUALITIES
REMAIN PERVASIVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
THIS YEAR MARKS 25 YEARS SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE
BEIJING DECLARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PLATFORM OF ACTION. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT
PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN CRITICAL AREAS OF ACTION
ON THE PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY.
I AM ALSO PLEASED TO INFORM THE NATION THAT THE
REVIEW OF PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PLATFORM OF ACTION IN THE LAST 25 YEARS INDICATES THAT
ZAMBIA IS PROGRESSIVELY REALISING THE ASPIRATIONS OF
THE DECLARATION AND PLATFORM OF ACTION ACROSS ALL
AREAS. WE CAN DO MORE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
THIS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY A POSITIVE TREND IN THE
GENDER INEQUALITY INDEX WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO FALL.
IN ADDITION, ZAMBIA HAS STRENGTHENED ITS POLICY AND
LEGAL FRAMEWORKS. FOR INSTANCE, GENDER WAS
MAINSTREAMED INTO THE LONGTERM DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING PROCESS INCLUDING, THE CURRENT 7TH
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
WITH REGARD TO LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, THE
CONSTITUTION OF ZAMBIA, AS AMENDED, ALLUDES TO THE
EQUAL WORTH OF WOMEN AND MEN AND THEIR RIGHTS TO
FREELY PARTICIPATE IN ALL SPHERES OF THE ECONOMY.
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THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES FOR VALUES AND NATIONAL
PRINCIPLES WHICH INCLUDE EQUITY, EQUALITY, AND NONDISCRIMINATION. WE SHOULD STRIVE TO REALISE EQUITY,
EQUALITY, AND NON-DISCRIMINATION AS ENSHRINED IN THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA.
FURTHER, THE ENACTMENT OF THE GENDER EQUITY AND
EQUALITY ACT, NO. 22 OF 2015, PROVIDES FOR THE
ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
WOMEN AND GIRLS, EMPOWERS WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE
FULLY IN THE COUNTRY’S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AFFAIRS.
ZAMBIA IS AMONG THE FEW COUNTRIES IN AFRICA WHICH
HAS ESTABLISHED FAST TRACK COURTS FOR GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE SO THAT THERE IS INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE
FOR GENDER BASED VIOLENCE VICTIMS.
WE HAVE ALSO ESTABLISHED AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE
MECHANISM TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE WHICH HAS
RESULTED IN INCREASED LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE BY MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CASES OF GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE.
AS A RESULT OF THE RESPONSE MECHANISM THERE HAS BEEN
AN INCREASE IN THE REPORTED NUMBER OF CASES OF
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE, FROM 15,153 IN 2014 TO OVER
22,000 TO DATE. THIS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS A GOOD
INDICATION OF THE PEOPLE’S POSITIVE RESPONSE TOWARDS
THIS SCOURGE BUT THE INCREASING NUMBERS IS A SOURCE
OF CONCERN TO GOVERNMENT, HENCE, MORE NEEDS TO BE
DONE TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS CURTAILED.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
GOVERNMENT HAS, THEREFORE, PUT IN PLACE A NUMBER OF
INTERVENTIONS TO EMPOWER WOMEN, ESPECIALLY, THOSE
IN RURAL AREAS TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL CHALLENGES
THAT THEY FACE. THESE INCLUDE:
1. A PROJECT CALLED GIRL’S EDUCATION AND WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT AND LIVELIHOODS WHICH IS KNOWN BY
THE ACRONYM (GEWEL) AND HAS TARGETED TO
EMPOWER WOMEN AND TO SUPPORT GIRLS IN RURAL
AREAS WITH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO KEEP
THEM IN SCHOOL. SO FAR, PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE
AND 33,674 OF THE 75,000 TARGETED WOMEN HAVE
BEEN RECEIVING PRODUCTIVE GRANTS IN MORE THAN
51 TARGETED DISTRICTS. FURTHER, 19,486 GIRLS IN 27
DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED WITH GRANTS.
2. MY GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING THE AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT AND VALUE CHAIN ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAMME BY PROVIDING AGRICULTURAL
EQUIPMENT TO CHIEFDOMS TO SUPPORT WOMEN’S
COOPERATIVES TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTIVITY. SO FAR, 120 CHIEFDOMS HAVE
RECEIVED TRACTORS, TILLERS AND TRAILERS OUT OF 288
CHIEFDOMS TARGETED BY THE END OF THE 7TH
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTING IN 2021.
FURTHER, GOVERNMENT HAS PROCURED SOLAR
POWERED DRIP IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT, SOLAR
POWERED INCUBATORS AND PELLET MAKING MACHINES
TO ENHANCE ENTERPRISE DIVERSIFICATION AMONG
WOMEN’S COOPERATIVES.
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IN 2020, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED OVER 10
MILLION KWACHA FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT;
3. THE PROGRAMME FOR ELIMINATING CHILD MARRIAGES
IN ZAMBIA AND OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHILD
MARRIAGE SURVIVORS IS GOING ON, TARGETING TO
SUPPORT OVER 1,200 GIRLS WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF
CHILD MARRIAGES WITH SCHOLARSHIPS. THE
PROGRAMME IS BEING SUPPORTED BY INDIA, BRAZIL,
AND SOUTH AFRICA. THIS INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT ENDING
POVERTY AND HUNGER IN AFRICA;
4. GOVERNMENT WITH SUPPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN
UNION IS IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAMME TO FIGHT
SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN
AND LUAPULA PROVINCES AT A COST OF 25 MILLION
EUROS OVER A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS; AND
5. FURTHER, GOVERNMENT WITH SUPPORT FROM THE IRISH
AND SWEDISH GOVERNMENTS IS IMPLEMENTING A
PROGRAMME TO FIGHT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AT A
COST OF SIX MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
THERE IS NEED TO GET THE FULL INVOLVEMENT OF MEN AND
BOYS IN OUR QUEST TO ADDRESS GENDER INEQUALITIES AND
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. WITH THIS
APPROACH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR OBJECTIVES
WITH THE SUPPORT OF COOPERATING PARTNERS WHO HAVE
ALREADY DEMONSTRATED PROFOUND WILLINGNESS TO
SUPPORT US IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AGENDA.
I WISH TO THEREFORE, TO ASK ALL OUR LEADERS,
TRADITIONAL LEADERS AND MARRIAGE COUNSELLORS TO
ENSURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE
I HAVE COME ACROSS TRADITIONAL COUNSELORS WHO
PROMOTE GENDER INEQUALITY SUCH AS INCULCATING
WRONG MESSAGES AMONG YOUNG GIRLS. PLEASE STOP IT.
YOU ARE EMBARRASING US.
THIS MESSAGE IS ALSO FOR THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH HAS A
ROLE TO PLAY TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY WITHIN THE
SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR COOPERATING PARTNERS,
CIVIL SOCIETY AND FAITH BASED ORGANISATIONS FOR THEIR
CONTINUED SUPPORT IN MY GOVERNMENT’S DEVELOPMENT
EFFORTS TOWARDS ELIMINATING GENDER INEQUALITIES IN
ZAMBIA.
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MY GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY
SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY IS
ATTAINED. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO ACHIEVE THIS IN ONE
DAY, BUT WITH POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IMPLEMENTED
BY MY GOVERNMENT, WE ARE HEADED FOR SUCCESS.
I, THEREFORE, MAKE A CLARION CALL TO ALL OF US TO
COMMEMORATE THIS DAY, THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S
DAY BY SUPPORTING GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY.
WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF BOTH WOMEN AND MEN,
AND BOYS AND GIRLS, OUR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE ALL
IN VEIN.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
MAY GOD BLESS US ALL, I THANK YOU.