AFRICANEWS

Zambia

Government must implement gender policy

Like in many African countries women in Zambia have been denied their rights to education among other basic rights. The government has demonstrated its unwillingness to strike a balance in gender issues.

Although it has been two years since the Beijing conference on women's rights, the Zambian government has not yet honoured its commitment in adopting the National Gender Policy, which will see an end to some of the discriminatory practices against women.

This concern came to light during the launching of the 1998 global campaign for women's rights, which was held at the Young Women's Christian's Association (YMCA) in Lusaka on December 10, 1997. Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILD) advisory Board's Chairperson Gladys Mutukwa, was clearly not happy with the government's hesitation at adopting the gender policy and the strategic plan of action.

The lack of a national gender policy has been a source of worry to the women's rights organisations. They feel that the absence of a government policy is in sharp contrast to the election promises made in the MMD manifesto of 1991 which stated that: "The MMD recognises the specific oppression which Zambian women have continued to suffer. The MMD government will accord full equal rights to women in all aspects of national life. The government will review all discriminatory laws against women in all social and economic fields. The MMD government will remove all discriminatory practices, and fight the resent prejudices against women in financial institutions."

In practice the MMD government's position on gender issues has been undefined and unclear. In fact neither the previous UNIP government nor the present one has ever produced a national policy to outline the principle goals for Zambia's commitments under international conventions. Zambia has been a signatory of the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) since 1980. The lack of a national policy has contributed to weaknesses in the way that gender imbalance have been dealt with.

One of the areas that women have lagged behind is the access to employment, although the overall picture shows that women are increasing their representation in both the formal and informal sectors of employment, they are still in the minority in formal wage employment, and even more scarce at the higher levels of management. By 1986, women had about 15 per cent representation in the formal sector and this figure rose to 19 per cent in 1991.

Some of the discriminatory laws could be seen in the employment Act, CAP 512 of the laws of the Zambia which until 1990 obliged an employer to provide housing to married men but not to married women. But the area which was emphasised during the launch was that of increased levels of violence against women. Mrs Mutukwa pointed out that violence against women in Zambia has been abated by the inadequate laws. "Government must enact and strengthen legislation against violence against women including marital rape, men who commit violent crimes against women only get away with light sentences," she said. Although Ms Mutukwa commended the government on the strides it has made in the advancement of girl child education there was still some glaring gaps between the two sexes. Almost half of the girls of school-going age are not in school. This problem is specially pronounced in rural areas.

Professor Michael Kelly, of the University of Zambia, revealed during the National Symposium on the education of the girl-child on September 15 1997 that the number complete grade seven, compared to grade one enrolment number has dropped significantly since 1990. "Difficulties have continued to dog the education system and their capacity to admit and retain pupils and ensure good perfomance. These problems affect all pupils but their impact on girls is disproportionately large," he said. Prof. Kelly cited under financing, inadequate facilities and infrastructure and deteriorating rates of detention. The emphasis of the two day symposium was on how to reduce and steadily remove imbalances in education opportunities between girls and boys and progressively between men and women.

His view is echoed in the National Programme of Action for Children (NAPC), which indicates that more than 10,000 girls fail to complete primary school each year due to poverty or pregnancy. The newly appointed Attorney General, Bonaventure Mutare who was the guest of honour said the government was committed to the promotion of all human rights. "The Ministry is in the process of preparing Zambia's report on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms, as of Discrimination Against women (CEDAW)," he said.

Mr Mutare assured the women's organizations present at the launch that the government would turn the commitments is made in Vienna, Dakar and Beijing into a reality. ms Mutuka believes that although the women's struggle has still not borne, there has been tremendous awareness about women's rights. She feels women's rights should not be looked at globally but locally as well. She cited the example of sexual abuse, she said more people, especially girls have realised that sexual abuse was wrong and had to be stopped. "Many people are reporting these cases because of the campaigns that have been carried out," she said.

The fight for women's rights rages on. The home is the place where violence, sexual abuse, suppression of girls and other negative cultural practices are found and it is only right that the struggle should begin here, but in a more balanced and realistic manner.

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