Central Province Permanent Secretary, Milner Mwanakampwe has noted an increase in more gruesome forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) especially among women and girls.
Mr Mwanakampwe says the GBV forms that include rape, murder, defilement and maiming have become a prominent feature in the Zambia media.
Speaking through the Provincial’s Assistant Secretary, Mwape Kasanda during the opening of a five-day training workshop in Kabwe, the PS said these acts range from physical, sexual and psychological forms.
He observed that the country has also witnessed the trends of abduction of girls that shows dynamism to GBV.
The PS added that the government is committed to addressing GBV and has put up measures to combat the vice.
He cited the introduction of the Victim Support Unit (VSU), the development of the National gender Policy, the development of the National Plan of Action on GBV (NPA-GBV) 2010-20214, the enactment of the Anti GBV Act No. 1 of 2011 and the development of the National Guidelines for the Multidisciplinary Management of victims of GBV among others.
Mr Mwanakampwe said government in collaboration with various partners has mechanisms in place such as the establishment of the fast-track courts, hospital based one stop centres, village led one stop centres and safe houses to ensure GBV victims and survivors have access to justice.
Meanwhile, National Legal Aid Clinic for Women and Children Executive Director, Mandy Manda, said women and children, especially the girl child are the major victims of GBV.
Ms Manda said the training for the customary adjudicators especially the local courts magistrates and the traditional leaders is informed by the fact that the key drivers of GBV are usually issues of negative cultural practices as well as negative social norms.
And Kabwe District Local Courts Officer, James Zimba, who spoke on behalf of the Judge-In-Charge, hoped that the training will cure the acrimony between the local court magistrates and the traditional leaders.
