Lusaka — A few weekends ago, we saw on ZNBC television a police officer, who after a domestic dispute with his wife went on rampage in Mtendere.

He killed his wife's niece, shot at random in the house, where his wife had sought refugee and then shot himself.

Over the same weekend, we heard of a young woman who knifed her husband after he attempted to kill her with the very knife she then used against him. Then you had the male teacher who was caught having sex with a 16-year-old female student.

We also know that sexual harassment in the form of women being asked to give sexual favours to their male "bosses" in exchange for promotion, to maintain their jobs etc is a growing problem. Almost everyday without fail, we hear on radio, television or read in the papers of young girls (occasionally young boys) who have been raped not just by strangers but their fathers, uncles, brothers, cousins etc. We know that what gets into the newspapers is only the "tip of the iceberg".

From all of the above it is clear that gender based violence is rampant. It is also clear that by far, our male folk are the greatest perpetrators of crimes against women and children.

This is not to say that women never perpetrate these sorts of crimes. They do but in insignificant numbers, but crime is crime and must be condemned whenever and whoever carries out. This, we must do without losing sight of the fact that the life and body of a woman is "cheap" in Zambia today.

In looking at some of the cases I have sighted above, I know some will say but the young woman who knifed her boyfriend surely is the criminal.

But remember, he took out the knife on her first and she acted in self defence.

In many cases, where women kill their husbands, boyfriends or partners, they do this often in reaction to years of abuse. As for the young lady and her teacher, what they did may seem consensual. But let's be clear at just over 16 years old, and still at school, the teacher is her guardian and cannot be her lover.

In cases where this happens, the teacher as the one with authority must take full responsibility for what happened.

In less than two months' time, we are going to vote. Yet at the rate at which we are going, come elections we will still not know what the different political parties policies and programmes are. The ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), have released their manifesto (rather late but at least it is there).

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) released a draft manifesto at their launch in March and promised a final one later.

But none has been forthcoming and we wonder whether there is still a UDA given the leadership struggles that appear to be strangling the alliance. For the rest of the political parties we have not seen their manifestos.

Gender-based violence is of course not and should not be the only issue of concern for women.

I recall many years during a television interview Gladys Mutukwa (a women's rights activist) being asked a question along the lines of "so you do not believe that women belong to the kitchen". She retorted "I believe women belong to every room in the house".

Likewise outside the home, women belong to and are impacted upon by every sphere of human endeavour.

One of these endeavours currently occupying us is of course the realm of partisan politics and elections. Whenever, the Church speaks; irrespective of whether it is Fr. Pete Henriot (Catholic), Reverend Japhet Ndhlovu (Protestant), or Bishop Joshua Banda (Pentecostal), they are very emphatic that their role in society is a prophetic one. Taking a cue from them, I believe our role as women in society is to bring about human dignity.

We therefore must fight for our own dignity ensuring we fight against all forms of abuse and injustice against women.

Our role in society should be to bring honour and distinction. Right now, our politics badly need this.

For now, the men who currently dominate should begin the process of dignifying our politics. No insults and violence please.