First Lady of Zambia Esther Lungu says ending poverty in Zambia and other developing countries will depend on the attention given to rural women, who are the primary agents of change in the fight against hunger and poverty in their communities.
In a statement released to the media by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations Mr Chibaula Silwamba, Mrs. Lungu said empowering rural women would lead to agricultural growth and poverty eradication.
Mrs Lungu was the keynote speaker at a side-event co-organised by FAO, IFAD, WFP, UN Women, the EU and the Permanent Mission of Slovak to the UN under the theme: “Step It Up Together with Rural Women to End Hunger and Poverty” on the first-day of the 61st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61), an annual meeting focusing on women and girl’s welfare worldwide, on Monday.
“In the developing world, rural agriculture is the sustenance of the majority of people, in particular women. We all agree that extreme poverty manifests mostly in rural areas of developing countries where statistics indicate that on average, women comprise 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force and contribute 70 percent of labour,” Mrs. Lungu said.
“In Zambia, we are Stepping Up, but of course more needs to be done. The President of Zambia His Excellency Mr. Edgar Lungu has directed that the policy on allocating 50 per cent of state land to women must be enforced without fail.”
She said traditional leaders were required to provide a minimum of 100 hectares of land to women cooperatives.
The First Lady said Zambia had a provision for individual women to be allocated land in line with the mechanisation programme for rural women in agriculture.
She said last year the Ministry of Gender distributed 51 tractors and 94 tillers to 100 chiefdoms out of the earmarked 288.
“As First Lady, advocacy continues to be top on my agenda and is focusing on tackling social-cultural norms, attitudes and behaviours that need elimination or adjustment,” Mrs. Lungu said. “I have engaged the spouses of traditional leaders to be the transformational champions in addressing deep rooted cultural gender inequalities in rural areas.”
Due to climate change, Mrs Lungu expressed concern that effects such as drought and flooding lead to many women losing their crops, which is their only investment.
“This forces them to seek employment from emergent and large scale farmers where they face risks that come with lifting heavy loads; harsh weather conditions and exposure to chemicals just to mention a few. Rural women work long hours earning low, unstable incomes let alone being least appreciated,” said Mrs. Lungu.
“I speak with passion and give firsthand testimony having had the opportunity to traverse the rural areas of Zambia, and I am sure I speak for many women in developing nations, who have for a long time been shackled with the chains of harsh conditions.”
The Commission on the Status of Women opened on Monday at United Nations Headquarters in New York and will run up to 24 March 2017.
Zambia has won international respect for its advocacy and implementation of policies and programmes that protect and promote the wellbeing of women and girls.
MOTHER OF THE NATION , U REALLY MAKE US PROUD AS ZAMBIANS, WE WISH YOU WELL AND OUR FATHER OF THE NATION ECL COME 2021 NI ECL CHABE
Mama Lungu,
Your passion, confidence and causes pushed with unparalleled focus injects hope at all levels of humanity. Such are causes to be proud of and support.
All the way, best!
Better to channel resources through women as us Zambian men are not up to the task! Sad to say this but its true! Be you a United Dunderhead cadre or whatever better a woman is in charge! This is why United Dunderheads have the lowest femaie representation! How many female MPS ba United Dunderheads? Very few! As a result very poor leadership from their male MPs.
A woman was in charge of ZNFU when millions of euros were stollen. Current commerce minister has loan issues at CEEC. Other money/bribery issues surrounding the current Agric Minister. Etc. my point: gender is not a factor in faithful and honest discharge of duties.
have you got nothing sensible to say without adding the U P N D dull blogger. your days as a paid blogger are numbered. this affects the whole nation
I hope that one year from now the First Lady will be able to report at the same conference that as Zambia “in the last one year we have empowered so many rural women with this and that and these are the results”.
Please Esther go back to night school and get an education and then lead by example