Source: Times of Zambia
AT least 20 women and children every month are being subjected to all manner of gender based violence (GBV) such as rape, defilement and in worse situations even being killed by well-known perpetrators of GBV as close as fathers, uncles, brothers and neighbours, to mention but a few.

More of such cases were being reported to the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit (VSU), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), Women in Law in Southern Africa (WiLSA), hospitals and subsequently, taken to the courts where in certain instances, perpetrators found guilty of the offences were given stiffer punishments of up to 35 years with hard labour to deter them from repeating the offence and more so, to deter would be offenders.

The situation in Zambia is not different from many other countries in the Southern Africa Community Development (SADC) region which has also witnessed a sharp increase of GBV cases where children and women are to a large extent the subject matter.

Zambia has from the time it gained independence in 1964 continued to record high and ugliest cases of GBV, while on the other hand, measures and strategies aimed at curbing the scourge were being put in place but not much is being yielded.

Presidents that have come and gone since 1964 starting with first Republican president Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and Rupiah Banda committed themselves to ending GBV and protecting vulnerable groups in general by putting laws and other measures against the vice but from current statistics, the GBV cases were still escalating in our society.

On the other hand, the judiciary, Parliament, NGOs, the Church and civil society has put up a spirited fight in finding a lasting solution but to the contrary, the scourge was scaling up.

According to statistics 14 women in Zambia had died due to GBV since 25 November 2011, while information from the paediatrics unit of Zambia's University Teaching Hospital indicate that six to ten defilement cases were being reported daily.

Overall, about 250 cases of GBV had been reported country-wide during 2011 leaving out the many other cases of women and children that have being raped and killed in the year 2012.

Although police have on daily basis recorded a number of defilement, rape and killings of women and children due to gender violence, there are also a number of GBV cases that go unreported.

While reporting of such cases was considered to have increased over the years, it was believed that hundreds or more of GBV survivors and their families were coerced, forced or opted not to report or give statements to the law enforcement agencies.

It is for this reason that the local authorities (municipalities) who have a touch base with the communities around the country are scaling up their efforts to take a leading role in the fight against the vice in communities.

At the recently held Gender Justice and Local Government summit in South Africa organised by Gender Links, a South African-headquartered NGO, where about 280 participants gathered to share and exchange ideas on among other things how municipalities could work together with governments and other stakeholders to curb GBV, it was common reasoning that municipalities could play a bigger role in ending GBV in the region.

Ten Zambian municipalities were also in attendance to show-case projects they have embarked on in their quest to prevent, support and respond to gender violence.

The municipalities from the SADC countries demonstrated how councils have worked closely with the communities to address issues of GBV in communities through the Centers of Excellency (COEs) project which was initiated by Gender Links in 2009.

The municipalities say they have made progress in several areas of fighting GBV as evident in the quality of projects they showcased at the summit that were aimed at preventing, supporting and leading in the GBV fight.

Gender Justice and Local Government facilitator in Zambia, Faides Nsofu who is pioneering the COEs project in the country said councils have developed action plans that main stream gender in their communities.

Ms Nsofu said that the councils work through-out the year especially during the 16 days of gender activism which run from November 25 to December 10 annually to ensure that gender violence was prevented.

She said among the programmes that the councils carry out are strategic and innovative communication campaigns and initiatives such as cyber dialogues where Zambian councils met with colleagues from other countries in the space to share and exchange ideas on the best practices of preventing and stopping GBV.

Ms Nsofu said at the end of each year, councils are helped and encouraged to enter into the COEs regional award where the best project gets an award, while the work of that council are replicated by other councils to take the work forward.

Former Mazabuka Council Mayor Shadreck Mwiinga who emerged winner in the Leadership category at the summit show cased a project he and his wife have embarked on in churches involving married couples, which is a good initiative in bringing men on board.

This strategy was helping to reduce violence through sensitisation and better understanding by partners.

Winner in the gender violence was Liz Frank, a director and Sister for the Namibia (Women's Leadership Centre), also showcased a Women's Voices Project which placed women at the centre while dealing with difficult subjects and empowered them to liberation.

This in itself reduced the chances of women being subjected to gender violence and other vices.

Several other projects were showcased on how councils have worked with the police and other partners in the fight against gender violence.

South African Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, called for Southern African countries to develop a comprehensive, holistic and integrated approach to end gender-based violence (GBV).

And Zimbambwe Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatious Chombo, urged participants to listen and learn from each other so that the success stories presented on gender mainstreaming at the level of councils and local actions to eradicate GBV were lessons for other countries to enhance delivery at the local level.

Dr Chombo commended Southern Africa for putting in place the legally binding instrument, the SADC Gender and Development Protocol which creates an even playing field for women, men, boys and girls.

Zambia has signed the protocol but is yet to domesticate it But Kapiri District Council planning officer Chanda Senkwe said mobilising funds at the national level to resource these programmes, however, was still a challenge.

"We feel honoured to be part of the COEs process. There are a lot of councils in Zambia, but we managed to be part of this process. We have an action plan, but we need resource mobilisation to bring forward our work and implement what we have planned to do," said Mr Senkwe.

The truth is, we are still a country where women and children are subjected to worst forms of GBV 47 years into Zambia's independence when everybody including the same women and children should have been enjoying their independence of not being victims of rape, defilement and killings.

It calls for the councils but above all each and every individual, family, society and nation at large to intensify efforts in protection these women and children at community level from GBV because everything starts with communities.

• Zambia