DEFENCE Permanent Secretary, Nicholas Kwendakwema, has hailed the Zambian defence forces for their efforts in mainstreaming gender equity agenda in the forces despite several challenges.

Dr Kwendakwema said in Lusaka yesterday that the country on her part in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region had made substantial progress in the field of gender mainstreaming in the defence forces.

Dr Kwendakwema was speaking when he opened the SADC defence forces extra-ordinary meeting of the personnel workshop at Pamodzi Hotel whose theme was dubbed: 'Advancing Gender Equity in the SADC Defence Forces'.

The four-day workshop was a follow up to the one held in Lilongwe, Malawi on 27 to 28 April 2009 and 13 out of 14 SADC member States had turned up for this summit.

"Zambia has adopted a deliberate policy of subjecting men and women to equal recruitment opportunities for those interested in joining the defence forces.

"This workshop could not have come at a better time when the issue of gender equity has taken centre stage globally," Dr Kwendakwema said.

He said the policy was done through strict scrutiny of qualifications and during that period of service, women were open to 'Women Gender Main Streaming' with a view of filling the positions previously reserved for men.

To arrive at best candidates, he said, women were availed training opportunities and discipline aspect was factored in and the ability to meet the challenges that go with the vacancies available were considered.