. Luo

By STEVEN ZANDE –
THE Government has secured US$3.3 million for women and youth empowerment schemes to boost the continued fight against gender discrimination in communities.
Gender Minister Nkandu Luo said $1.6 million would be used to fund women entrepreneurship training programmes while $1.7 million would go towards boys’ sensitisation campaigns on the role of women as equals in society.
Professor Luo, who is Munali parliamentary aspiring candidate, said the programmes would equip women with business skills and help change social perceptions about them with a view to reducing gender imbalances.
She said this yesterday when she launched the International Widows Day at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.
“As Zambians we need to begin to interrogate some of these cultural beliefs and traditional norms which have perpetuated the suffering of our women and girls in communities,” Prof Luo said.
She said the Government remained committed to its resolve to curb all forms of discrimination against women by enforcing relevant legislation to curb the vice.
Prof Luo said this was because women had continued to be at the receiving end of discrimination and property grabbing in the event of the death of a spouse.
United Nations (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-moon in a speech to commemorate International Widows Day read by Anglican resident city canon Emmanuel Chikoya observed that globally widows had continued to suffer discrimination based on their gender.
Mr Ban said young widows’ lives were characterised by challenges, which included  meeting childcare responsibilities in the face of limited economic opportunities.
He urged societies around the world to support women in their quest to lead productive, equal and fulfilling lives.
And Anglican Church’s Ruth Fellowship chairperson Felicia Sakala said the death of a husband often robbed women of financial and moral support.
Ms Sakala said there was need to strengthen women’s rights to land, property and inheritance to reduce their suffering when their spouses died.
She urged the Church to continue providing spiritual guidance and financial assistance to women who lost their husbands for them to lead decent lives.