“This Year’s 16 days of activism calls for every man, woman girl, and boy out here to be an activist to end gender-based violence and be the voice that speaks for the voiceless in our communities and provide greater help to our vulnerable women and girls”, said Mrs Royter Choongo, National Gender Coordinator for AID’s partner, Zambia Anglican Council Outreach Programme (ZACOP).

Zambia, along with many countries all around the world, commemorates the 16 days of activism, an annual campaign calling for an end to gender-based violence against women and girls The commemoration runs from 25 November to 10 December each year. During this period everyone joins together, including civil society, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, government institutions, and the private sector to raise their voices about violence affecting women and children.

Your support of ZACOP’s Integrated Gender Equality Project gives hope to rural communities for an end to Gender Based Violence. This is done by supporting women to improve their skills to enable greater equity and equal rights. Some of the funding also goes to raising awareness through engagement during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and during the life of the project.

ZACOP staff participated in the launch of the 16 days of activism at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka on 25 November 2023. Participating staff included the Country Director, Mrs Ellen MC Mubanga, Assistant Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr Jerry Banda, Gender Coordinator, Mrs Royter Choongo, the Office Assistant and Driver.

The theme for the 2023 activism was “UNITE! invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.

This theme was interpreted as follows:

Unite

• A call for everyone to be an activist and ensure that women girls and children are protected from Gender-based violence
• All service providers ensure that GBV services are accessed through a strengthened referral mechanism.
• Leave no-one behind by ensuring that information and services are provided to every woman and child
• Ensure that mechanisms put in place for survivors of GBV are working very well.

Invest

• Build human resource capacity with the necessary knowledge and skills
• Look into how volunteer services are motivated and supported
• Ensure that accommodation for survivors of GBV is made available, is accessible, and meets the standard required by social welfare.

All participants were made aware of the vicious cycle of Gender-based violence and how it continues to affect the lives of women and girls in Zambia.

While violence affects women everywhere, some women and girls, such as those living with disability, adolescent girls, and older women often face even greater difficulty having their voices heard to access support. The project particularly seeks to support such women and girls.

To learn more about this project or to donate please visit: 

www.abmission.org/projects/zambia/gender-equality-and-ending-family-violence/

We have committed to contribute $1 for every $5 we receive from the Australian Government. This means that every donation you make to this project will be combined with funding from the Australian Government to reach more people. Your donation will allow us to extend this program.

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AID wishes to thank all who support this project through prayer and/or donations.