10 July 2009
editorial
THE circulation of the draft Bill on the proposed legislation against gender-based violence by Government to various stakeholders is a development that needs serious consideration by Zambians.
This is because the exercise is to enable as wide an input as possible into the final legislation against gender violence to be enacted in Parliament. The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring eradication of gender-based violence in Zambia through the provisions of an appropriate piece of legislation.
But this is not the Government's undertaking alone, rather, the duty and responsibility of every citizen. Government is also giving the people of Zambia, in accordance with the tenets of democracy, an avenue in which to make their voices heard on the matter. Therefore, unless Zambians treat the document with the seriousness it deserves, it may not get the quality in put Government is aiming for in order to attain the intended objectives.
Gender based violence, like other vices which have persisted despite so much progress in education and social awareness, is a blight on our society. Gender violence has had far-reaching traumatic experiences for many women who, statistically have borne the brunt of the violence.
Many other social ills have been traced to gender-based violence including broken homes and violence-prone teenagers who have been brought up in a violent domestic environment.These teenagers have themselves gone on to become violent offenders meting out senseless violence on innocent victims. The cycle has continued to spiral and reaching alarming proportions in some instances.
This is a societal problem which needs to have a multi-pronged approach in the quest for a solution. As Deputy Minister for Justice Todd Chilembo has pointed out, gender violence is a sensitive issue requiring wider consultation.
Our rich traditional heritage can, for instance, play a vital role in casting light on how gender violence was dealt with within the setting of family environments.
For example, in most Zambian traditional cultures, women are respected so much that meting violence on them had been frowned upon and roundly condemned.
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