GOVERNMENT IS STILL IN CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE BILL

THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HAS INDICATED THAT GOVERNMENT IS STILL IN CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ON WHETHER GENDER BASED VIOLENCE SHOULD BE CHANGED TO DOMESTIC BASED VIOLENCE THEREFORE PEOPLE MUST BE PATIENT.

JUSTICE DEPUTY MINISTER TODD CHILEMBO HAS TOLD RADIO PHOENIX IN AN INTERVIEW THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO RUSH THE IMPLIMENTATION OF THE LAW BECAUSE THIS MIGHT RESULT IN THE COUNTRY HAVING A LAW WHICH WILL FAIL TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUES ON THE GROUND.

BUT NGOCC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ENGWASE MWALE LAST WEEK AFTER KASAMA PF LEGISLATOR GEOFREY BWALYA MWAMBA WAS FOUND WITH NO CASE TO ANSWER IN THE HIGH AFTER HIS WIFE WITHDRAW THE GENDER BASED VIOLENCE CASE CHARGED THAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS THE LAW AGENTLY.

MRS MWALE STATED THAT THE LAW MUST PUT IN PLACE CLAUSES WHICH WILL COMPEL WOMEN NOT TO WITHDRAW THE CASES AS IT WOULD WORSEN THE SITAUTION.

BUT MR CHILEMBO HAS EXPLAINED THAT THE BILL HAS VARIOUS CONTENTIOUS ISSUES WHICH STILL NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH BECAUSE IF THEY ARE LEFT IN THE DRAFT FOR FINAL APPROVAL, THEY WILL ONLY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROGRESS OF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF IMPROVING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE WHICH IS RIFE AT THE MOMENT.

MEANWHILE, GENDER AND WOMEN IN DEVELOPEMNT MINISTER SARAH SAYIFWANDA SAYS GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IS A HUGE HINDERANCE TO EFFORTS AIMED AT ECONOMICALLY EMPOWERING WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY.

SHE ADDS THAT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE POSES A GRAVE CHALLENGE TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

MRS SAYIFWANDA WHO SAID THIS IN KAFUE GORGE YESTERDAY WHEN SHE OFFICAILLY OPENED A NATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR MAGISTRATES FOR GENDER BASED VIOLENCE OBSERVEED THAT IT IS CARDINAL FOR THE JUDICAIRY TO BE WELL ABREAST WITH ISSUES PERTAINING TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.

AND DEPUTY ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO ZAMBIA WHO IS BASED IN KENYA MAO ELBAZ-STARINSKY SAYS ERADICATING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE SHOULD BE EVERYONE’S PRIORITY IN SOCIETY.

GOVERNMENT AND ISRAELI’S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIOANL DEVELOPEMNT COOPERATION HAVE AGREED ON A SYSTEMATIC  TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR JUDGES AND MAGISTARATES ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE, THIS FOLOWS THE TRAINING WORKSHOP ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE THAT TOOK PLACE IN MAY IN ISRAEL.

ENDS.