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RTÉ News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Boys' workshops help Zambia move closer to gender equality
In Zambia, where traditionally men held the most power and authority, more people are confronting cultural norms to try and break the cycle of gender inequality. Our reporter Karen Creed and camera man Brian Walsh travelled to Lusaka, supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund, to find out how certain initiatives and actions are helping to improve daily life for women and girls. Under the sweltering heat of the midday sun, a group of boys and young men are dancing, rapping and singing. It is part of an energising warm-up before their weekly Men of Honour meeting. There are around 40 of them attending this workshop in a suburb of Lusaka which is centred on teaching them why women and girls should have the same rights as them. Peter Mukuka, the Founder and Chief Executive of Men of Honour, shares the importance of creating a safe space as discussions at times can be uncomfortable. "We talk about things they find difficult to talk about, with their parents, even within their family space," he explained. "We can all share those difficult issues they are going through. "We see a lot of pressure for the boy child and men to live up to expectations of society." He explains how in the worst cases, it can lead to some boys and men committing "all sorts of crimes." "We look at gender-based violence which is one of the social issues facing our country and we try to engage them to see how they are playing a positive role in ending it." "Adolescence is a crucial age," he said. "We take time to break those deep-rooted beliefs that are negative and try to replace them with positive beliefs and what it means to be a man." A priority in these discussions is what constitutes violence and then encouraging the participants to bring what they learn about positive behaviour into their homes and communities. "Tradition plays a huge role, and we must convince them otherwise." The boys are also taught to not be a bystander when they see violent acts happening to girls and women and to speak up. The Gender Equity and Equality Act came into effect in Zambia in 2016. Since then, the focus is on getting men and boys to adapt to a fairer society while showing girls that their ambitions can be fulfilled. The National Gender Policy aims to integrate it across various facets of society and tackle gender disparities. Education essential to make progress Education is viewed as essential to make progress and there is a lot of investment in school programmes. Chrostinah Pemba is a civics teacher at Twin Palm Secondary School in Lusaka. She said teaching the children about gender equality is one of the biggest challenges and that it can be upsetting also. "At home it is what the parents say is right and here what the teachers say is right, so the kids are stuck in between," she said. "Tradition plays a huge role, and we must convince them otherwise. "It is a bit of a task, so we really need to be steadfast in delivering the message." "But now we have duty rotas, we make sure the boys hold that broom and must sweep." She describes the struggle for some children from certain tribes with certain rules and when they come to school, they are taught a different view. The approach being taken across schools has changed considerably since the time she was a teenager. "I remember back in our day, we would have chores and while we sweep the boys would do other things like pick papers, and the boys could not touch the broom according to tradition. "But now we have duty rotas, we make sure the boys hold that broom and must sweep." She is confident that they are seeing the benefits. "I think we are balancing it and getting somewhere," said Chrostinah. Football offers vast playing field That message is spreading from the classroom to the wider community about the importance of equal access to opportunities. In the push for gender equality football is one sport that offers a vast playing field. "Football is a lucrative sport, and young women and girls are changing the narrative and taking Zambia to the global stage." There is a lot of encouragement for women and young girls to get involved and to enjoy football like their male peers but also to score goals for equality and change. The girls' teams at State House Queens football club are supported by a charity that was set up by famous Zambian footballer Rachel Kundananji and her friend Bernadatte Deka Zulu. Bernadette has been campaigning for gender equality since her teenage years. "We have taken this path to make sure we reach out to young girls in Zambia and beyond to give skills, education, empowerment and social justice," she said. She is grateful for the rewards that are happening on and off the pitch. "What it means is that parents in our communities in the daily Zambian average family are going to let a young girl go out there and pursue her dreams." Bernadette explains that it is much more than just recreational activities. "Football is a lucrative sport, and young women and girls are changing the narrative and taking Zambia to the global stage." As we watch two of the girls' teams battle it out in a friendly, I realise most of the spectators who have gathered to watch the match are boys. It captures perfectly the change that Zambia is striving for, even if it is happening at a slower pace in some parts.
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Breaking the silence on gender-based violence in Zambia
Zambia in southern Africa has some of the highest rates of reported gender-based violence in the world. Karen Creed and cameraman Brian Walsh travelled there, supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund, to look at the impact of this violence on women and girls and what efforts are being made to prevent it. It was only 17 months ago that a ban against child marriage was introduced in Zambia. Up until then, it meant that once a girl reached puberty she could be married. As well as robbing them of their childhoods, it is unimaginable the harm this has caused. It now being illegal is a significant step forward, but domestic and sexual violence remain a big problem in the country. With a population of more than 19 million people, it is estimated that more than a third of all Zambian women and girls have experienced physical violence. Women are being abused in the home, their daughters are being physically and sexually assaulted, and in many cases the perpetrator is known to the victim. "Some mothers will be aware of the abuse happening in the home but say I can't report this because your father is providing for us at home." Anastasia Munyati is a campaigner and founder of ARISE, an organisation that focuses on social and gender justice. She dedicates her work to helping girls and women who are impacted by gender-based violence (GBV) as she can relate to their trauma. "I experienced abuse when I was a child," she explains. "It is something I have had to deal with for a very long time. "Coming from a place of having the experience of it myself, I understand what they are going through." Anastasia becomes emotional as she describes some of the "worst cases", where fathers are abusing their own daughters. "Some mothers will be aware of the abuse happening in the home but say 'I can't report this because your father is providing for us at home'," she says. "So, if he is in prison what will we eat and if he is in prison it is going to bring shame to the family." Zambia is steeped in patriarchy, where men hold the most authority, which can often result in violence. It is still prevalent in many countries where the beliefs that have surrounded masculinity have created a view that violence is a legitimate means of asserting power. "The biggest issue is the fact that most are embedded in our social and cultural norms," says Anastasia. "If there was a way that we could work around dismantling some of these harmful cultural norms that we have." Action against gender-based violence There are noticeable efforts to make a stand against these practices. In the capital Lusaka, protests against gender-based violence are happening regularly. "We are looking at negative cultural practices, we are stopping them." One of the most recent protests, that took place earlier last month, was after a surge in reports of men raping young girls. One of the main challenges, however, is spreading the awareness of harmful cultural practices to rural communities and their male leaders. The leader of one region, Chief Chamuka, has declared his community a gender-based violence free zone and we visited him to discuss what is being done to achieve this. "We are looking at negative cultural practices, we are stopping them," he says. "For example, a practice which says when a girl just reaches puberty, this girl should get married, we have just banned that. "And the community has accepted that very well." He is confident that people in his community are no longer afraid to report any form of abuse because he has assured them that they will be protected. This chief is one of more than 200 traditional leaders across the country. He is hopeful that training will encourage other chiefs to take a similar approach and understand that "empowering women and girls" makes for a better society, overall. Will for change evident on a national scale However it is evident from visiting remote areas that it will take time for this shift in attitude. On a national level it is evident there is a will for change. The government has run joint programmes with the United Nations on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence cases. Tough prison sentences for perpetrators have been implemented and there are awareness campaigns around what constitutes gender-based violence. Shupe Makashinyi, who works with Zambia's UN Development Programme, says there is evidence that it is having an effect. "There are platforms where girls in the villages can talk about gender equality, about GBV marriage, about domestic violence being a crime." She says the mindsets of women and girls have changed considerably. "In those years long ago, you wouldn't have such platforms because you would ask some women 'is it ok for your husband to beat you?' "Some will say 'yes, that is a sign of love'. But now they have been awakened; they know that there is a law against GBV," she says. As a result, more cases of gender-based violence are being reported. The growth of one-stop centres to support women and children is a central part of the strategy. Shupe highlights the importance of their expansion to rural areas as it brings the services to victims and allows them to find support locally. Ireland supports gender equality in Zambia Zambia's ambition to tackle gender-based violence stretches back more than two decades. Ireland is among the countries that has been supporting gender equality with a long-standing development programme. In recent years it is also using its own experience to show Zambia the opportunities to increase access to justice. Chali Mbewe Hambayi oversees the country's gender-based crimes department and outlines how progress is being made in several areas. "With the support of the Government of Ireland, we have been able to set up our GBV fast-track courts," she explained. "We have trained magistrates, prosecutors, investigators in how to respond appropriately to cases of gender-based violence." She also describes how the prosecution holding the perpetrators accountable gives confidence to victims who may be reluctant to come forward that "the law will be there to help me." However, there are strides to be made to move away from the narrative of victim blaming as it is still hindering some women and girls from reporting these crimes. Chali is an example of a Zambian woman who is at the forefront of social and legal change. She, like Anastasia, Shupe and many others we met during our visit are tireless in their efforts to confront cultural norms. Their education has given them empowerment to help improve their society. They are also extremely keen to let us know that Zambia is a beautiful country despite its social and economic issues. They are pleased we have been able to witness that along with the warmth of the people. The day before we depart Lusaka, I ask some locals about an unusual bottle-shaped tree that I have seen in many areas we have travelled to. "It is the baobab tree," they tell me with a smile. I have since found out that it is regarded as a symbol of resilience across Zambia.
