By FLAVIOR CHISHALA –
THE Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) has hailed Government for enacting the Gender Equality and Equity law aimed at reducing child marriages.
ZNWL board chairperson Beauty Katebe said if the law was utilised effectively, representation of women in decision making positions in both the private and public sectors would be enhanced.
Ms Katebe said this in a statement issued by ZNWL communications officer Victoria Phiri.
She said there was need, however, to have the law institutionalised for its implementation and harmonisation with other existing policy frameworks that might not be in conformity with the new one.
Ms Katebe said all stakeholders in the fight against child marriage must continue with the noble cause as it did not only rob the girl child of their innocence but their lives as well.
“It is our hope that more efforts will be directed towards guaranteeing more spaces for women in leadership at all levels in 2016,” she said.
Ms Katebe said Zambia had achieved a lot this year in improving the status of women, saying the appointment of Inonge Wina as Vice-President was one of those achievements.
Zambia had broken the glass ceiling for women’s progression in political leadership by that appointment.
“Although the representation of women is still low at Cabinet, Parliamentary and local government level, we can take pride in the attainment of this milestone and look forward to a time when Zambia will have its first female president,” she said.
Ms Katebe was, however, disappointed with the rejection of the Proportional Representation clause from the Constitution Bill which if approved would facilitate enhanced representation of marginalised groups such as the women, youth and the disabled.
She also urged political parties to adopt more women who were aspiring for political office in 2016.
This would add to the quest for increased representation of women in decision positions.
Ms Katebe urged Government to ensure that political violence was rooted out of the 2016 elections as many women shunned participating in the electoral process because of violence.