Source: Zambia Daily Mail
DAVID is sitting in the newsroom working on his story when a woman walks in with a swollen face and black eye. In a voice that could barely be heard and obviously in a lot of pain, she complains that her husband, a chief executive officer at one of the country blue-chip companies, had beaten her. David does not write the story.

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Chief Chidongo is lamenting to his ancestors about being a chief in the 21st century. A woman had gone to him with a complaint that she had been battered by her husband. But in his culture, a man has every right to discipline his woman if she has wronged him. But if he is to ignore her, she may opt to go to the Victims Support Unit or any of these non-governmental organisations that preach gender equality.
Again, somewhere else, an officer- in- charge is busy attending to his duties when a woman walks in with a bleeding face caused by a fight with her husband. She presses charges, but he doubts whether she will make a follow-up. He wants to instead advise her to withdraw the case. In any case, she is not the first woman to be clobbered by her husband.
Simply put, these are the realities of gender-based violence in Zambia.
It is there, women are being battered every day, but many that come in contact with these affected women would rather turn a blind eye.
Last year, government enacted the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act, seen as a major step in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in Zambia. One of the most comprehensive laws on GBV in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Act gives hope to many women and children who have been subjected to GBV without adequate recourse.
It offers a comprehensive framework for protection and means of survival for victims and survivors of GBV as well as prosecution of perpetrators.
Notwithstanding that, gender-based violence continues to be a problem in Zambia with the number of reported cases on the rise.
According to Gender Links, a Southern African NGO, headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, that promotes gender equality and justice across the 15 countries of the region, one in five women has experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.
Further, of all the forms of violence, spousal abuse or domestic violence is the highest form of abuse reported. If the Act is implemented aggressively by the government agencies and other role players, it will contribute to reducing levels of gender-based violence.
The Act comes after more than ten years of advocacy for a comprehensive and effective piece of legislation and has been received well by all sections of Zambian society and particularly women's organisations. The years of groundwork have paid off because unlike other SADC countries that have specific domestic violence Acts, Zambia has an anti-gender-based violence law which is more far-reaching and comprehensive.
The Act is said to have taken its inspiration from the gender -based violence provisions of Articles 20 – 25 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development which calls on States to enact and enforce legislation prohibiting all forms of GBV; discourage traditional norms including social, economic, cultural and political practices; public awareness programmes; adopt integrated approaches; provision of specialised facilities including support mechanisms for survivors of GBV among other obligations.
Still, anecdotal evidence in Zambia suggests that though there is high awareness of the law among men and women, the scourge still continues.
It is with this that the Panos Institute of Southern Africa (PSAF), a communication for development organisation, recently launched a campaign directed at the menfolk, asking them to address the issue of violence against women head-on. PSAF has selected three satellite points for the campaign in Lusaka, Kafue and Chongwe.
Pyrd Chitah, the PSAF regional governance and development manager says this approach will target influential men in society who will then talk to other men to highlight the dangers of violence against women.
PSAF contends that though government has put measures in place in form of a law, it is still vital to address the issues from the angle of tradition and culture, as belief lies at the core of people's decision- making.
"This has been brought to light because harmful cultural practices continue, such as dry sex, rape, early marriages, sexual cleansing and property grabbing despite actions by the government showing commitment towards curbing the vice, and this is something that people know about," he says.
Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Director General, Chibamba Kanyama, agreed during the launch of the campaign that it is not the absence or inadequacy of the laws and policies but rather something to do with people's mindsets and beliefs that perpetuates gender-based violence.
Mr Kanyama said violence would not end until men took a stand and made a commitment to prove that a violence-free Zambia is possible.
"Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man," Mr Kanyama said as he quoted Mahatma Ghandi.
"To aid this campaign which I believe will help the men share ideas of how we can stop GBV, ZNBC will offer a platform for the media campaign through its radio and television services,'' he said.
Mr Kanyama said it is vital that organisations work together to address culturally constructed and reinforced unequal power relations between men and women, to foster behaviour change that will enable men and women to be able to resolve their differences without resorting to violence.
And former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa was also on hand to flag off the campaign and urged women to speak out when they have been abused.
"A comprehensive solution to the problem should not only include better education and stricter law enforcement, but also the awakening of women to take control of their bodies and lives," she said.
Mrs Mwanawasa also stressed that women should have access to education and economic empowerment as these factors reduce vulnerability and increase the capacity of women and girls to make independent decisions over their lines.
She also called for more efforts to go into preventive measures.
"Prevention measures are cardinal. We are doing more firefighting than prevention and the damage on the women and girls both emotionally and physically is too traumatic," she said.
Mr Chitah said the PSAF campaign will therefore evaluate popular beliefs and cultures and what role they play in perpetuating violence against women.
"The campaign will approach gender violence as an issue involving men of all ages and socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. It will view men not only as perpetrators or possible offenders, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers," he says.
It will also address relevant actors and partners such as women activists, men of high standing in communities, youth groups, Zambia Police VCU, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender and Child Development.
"The aim of this project is to lead men in joining women to free the world of men's violence against women. It will help to challenge the social norms of destructive masculinity and its manifestations: sexism, misogyny, and homophobia," he says.
It will also target law enforcers, helping them rise above the notions that are held by popular culture and be able to execute the law without prejudice.
"This is a very cardinal part of the campaign because we're aware enforcers of the law too are part of the wider community and may be influenced by the view held by society in the way they dispense the law," he says.
He says tradition and culture are so engraved in people that despite high levels of education, it is still difficult to change certain behaviours.
"Attitudes and beliefs are derived from traditions, religion and institutions, which determine practices, roles, freedoms and obligations of men and women in society. They are embedded in individual, generational and institutional thinking and are produced and reproduced at the levels of the household, the community, the market and the State," Mr Chitah says.
Emphasis will be on developing a clear understanding on how cultural values shape the way men and women interact, and view each other and build on the relationships that exit within the cultural setting. While there are widespread beliefs that violence is justified, the programme approach acknowledges the existence of some groups of people, particularly men who do not believe in that but have been silenced by social pressure.
The campaign will also focus on helping women to redefine the values that guide the upbringing of children particularly boys, redefine what values of masculinity are worth celebrating (redefining the rules of masculinity) using the gender/femininity power they hold.
"It will also help young people redefine masculinity and their relationship with girls and the femalefolk at large. It is expected that this approach will support the building of a movement for change that will say no to violence against women and girls," he says.
PSAF will not be alone in this endeavour, as other organisations have come on board to help spread the news that violence against women is not only a crime but also non-violence will help empower women to speak up and share their views.
The organisation will work in collaboration with the Zambia Council for Social Development, Radio Yatsani and 2410 to spread the campaign. It will also explore the use of social media in the dissemination of information.
Mr Chitah said Short Message Service (SMS), facebook, twitter, linkedIn and other online platforms will help capture the attention of the younger generation .
"The men will be selected on the basis of their passion for the subject and the inspiration that they will provide as game changers. PSAF will also partner with the Men's Network as a strategic partner that is already engaged in addressing GBV," he says.
Mr Chitah said after the campaign, it is hoped that men will take full responsibility and fight GBV. 

• Zambia