. Mabula

By CHARITY MOONGA –
BANK OF Zambia deputy governor for administration, Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula says there is still a lot that needs to be done to improve the lives of women and children.
Dr Mabula said at a recent women’s meeting in Lusaka that despite the fact that the lives of women and children had improved, a lot still needed to be done.
“So far, we have done so much but much more still needs to be done,” she said.
She called on women to stand up and take up their place in society.
Dr Mabula urged the women to address the issue of self confidence from the time girl children are young.
“We have not arrived yet as much more still needs to be done,” she said.
She said, according to United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki Moon, countries will not achieve the 2030 vision if they don’t have a 50-50 representation between men and women.
At a packed Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality event held in New York on March 10, Mr Ban said there was need for women and girls voices to be heard.
“Women’s and girls’ voices too often go unheard, their talents and initiative unused. This is to the detriment of the world’s prosperity and security,” “Too often, leaders have used women to advance power. I believe we must use power to advance women,” said Mr Ban.
The meeting was a UN Women-hosted celebration for the 20th anniversary of the historic Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Speakers called for bolder actions from governments and louder mobilisation from citizens to move forward the agenda on women’s rights and gender equality, because  progress in the last 20 years has been too slow.