• CHILDREN need protection from adults and not harm.

By NAKUBIANA MUMBUNA-
AS Zambia celebrates its Golden Jubilee this year, finding new strategies to root out Gender Based Violence (GBV) will certainly bring a new beginning in the fight.
The year of jubilee is that of new beginnings and as such, Zambia in its effort to root out GBV should also employ new strategies that would bring to an end this vice that is seemingly escalating in all quarters.
Girls and boys alike nowadays live in a society that is unfriendly with their lives at risk. Even from those who are expected to protect them from any form of harm.
Women and indeed men are also victims of GBV with the former mostly on the receiving end. A new begining is what Zambian needs.
So as this great country celebrates its golden Jubilee, there is need for those in leadership and indeed all stakeholders to find new strategies to combat the scourge.
Efforts have been made by those in leadership, but we strongly feel that there should be an end to graduate to another level.
In fact, Government must be commended for the efforts so far implemented to root out the scourge.
However, there is need for more effective strategies to bring under
control the escalating statistics of GBV which have gone beyond measure.
There is a need to learn from other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and world over on the best practices of addressing the issue at hand.
There is also need to learn from those whose statistics on the scourge are low. The question is how best have they done it so that we can also emulate them?
Mauritius for example, is one of the countries that was at the bottom of the GBV list in the SADC region in 2013.
So why not learn from them?
Apart from Mauritius, a number of countries in the SADC are at the bottom of the GBV lists as compared to Zambia, so why not engage them and learn from them?
Seriously, with Zambia at 50, a new beginning with new strategies is what is needed if truly the nation has to make a fresh begining or promote reconciliation
It is not a secret that the scourge is still on the increase with the latest reports in Southern Province for instance recording an increase on GBV cases from about 700 last year to more than 1,000 this year.
This was revealed by the Non-Governmental Organisation coordinating Council (NGOCC).
NGOCC coordinator for Southern and Western provinces, Faith Simukoko disclosed that despite numerous awareness campaigns being conducted by various stakeholders, there was an increase of about 1,243 cases of GBV in Southern Province alone. Defilement and early pregnancy cases were also on the higher side.
With these alarming statistics, obtaining in the Southern Province alone, it makes one wonder what is happening in other provinces?
Ms Simukoko urged community members to help in the fight against GBV. Of course the fight should not be left to politicians alone but requires concerted efforts from all.
The statistics were indeed alarming with some cases shocking. One such case is that of a 28-year-old man of Makeni, Nalyela Mwakamui, who did not only defile his 35 months old daughter but also strangled her.
One wonders why older men should resort to such kind of actions when they are even married.
The problem leaves one with more questions than answers because some of the victims that suffered such forms of violence are too young to even contemplate therefore throwing their future into jeopardy. Judge Nicola Sharpe-Phiri in sentencing Mwakamui said he should be hanged by the neck until he is pronounced dead because his acts on the baby were ruthless and barbaric.
Mwakamui on November 29, 2009 sexually abused his own biological daughter thereby, inflicting injuries and pain which resulted in her sustaining a ruptured kidney, liver and fractured head.
The girl was left in Mwakamui’s custody by his wife Matildah Mwiinga, who had gone to her mother’s place to prepare nshima for the family of course, the same meal which the convict was to consume. This is indeed shocking.
The courts of law have done their part by ensuring that they mete out deterrent sentences in most instances more needs to be done.
Men should refrain from such barbaric acts. Adults should be able love and care for minors and not harm them.
What kind of a generation we will have if nothing is done to slow down on this scourge?
With the current scenario one cannot help to stop and think what has really gone wrong with our society if daily cases of GBV are escalating.
Learning from other countries on how they are fighting the scourge and winning it so as a nation that should be on our cards.
Apart from that,  we shopuld also ensure that the GBV act is fully operational is a must.
Not to mention the setting up of fast track courts to expedite GBV cases will also be a good strategy. On the whole, the entire battle should start at an individual level.
So, as Zambia celebrates its Golden Jubilee, there is need for new strategies from those in leadership which should be paramount.
A new begining is certain with new strategies if we are to save the future generation. If Indeed we want to maintain the spirit of Zambia being a peaceful, Christian nation then there is also need for everyone to have a new mindset.