GENDER BASED VIOLENCE – A situation in Chadiza, Chibombo, Mansa and Mazabuka

Background

With support from Plan Norway, NORAD is funding Plan Zambia's project on Gender Equality and Protection. The project is located within Plan Zambia's Country Program on Children and Community Empowerment. The Goal of the project is to empower girls and women for equal opportunity and participation in all sectors of development including education, health and employment. It also aims at identifying and addressing the structural causes of poverty and deprivation which are also rooted in inequality amongst women and men, boys and girls, drawing on the support of communities and other stakeholders like law enforcement organs i.e. victim support unit of the Zambia Police Force. Gender based violence affects effective participation of concerned victims in development process.

Purpose/objective

The Gender Based Violence situation assessment was meant to establish the prevalence, causes and consequences of gender based violence, particularly against the vulnerable like girls and women, in Plan Zambia areas of operation i.e. Chadiza, Chibombo, Mansa and Mazabuka.

Methodology

The study was basically qualitative and used participatory instruments like gender based focus group discussions, key informant interviews. Children's participation was further enhanced through methods like drawing. The sample was drawn from court officials, police and GBV survivor testimonies. Other key informants and participants in the assessment were care givers at Early Childhood Care Centers, Church leaders, teachers, representatives of development committees and health personnel.

Key findings

1. The common forms of gender based violence identified by the survey was in:
a. Forced early marriages for girls and defilements for younger children. Sometimes women and girls are forced into sexual cleansing activities where they are forced to have sex with a man whose wife died. Generally, women also lack influence in decisions regarding their sexual life e.g. access to modern family planning methods.
b. Child labour mainly manifesting in form of Cattle herding for boys, house servants, work loads that are considered inappropriate for the child age i.e. carrying heavy water containers and working on farms and working long hours. Orphaned and other vulnerable children were the first targets as victims of this abuse.
c. Parental neglect and inability to give basic life provisions to children e.g. food, clothing
d. Assault of boys against girls who do better especially in school
e. Physical violence in homes i.e. wife battering which was more prevalent during times when male spouse had some income from harvest or work. Often women would put in a lot of effort in their gardens which did not lead to equitable share of rewards at harvest as men mostly controlled all farm proceeds.
f. Property grabbing from orphans and widows
2. Poverty was identified as a major contributor to child labour especially where their labour is seen as a contribution to family income. Forced early marriages are also perceived as bringing in economic benefits through payment of bride price (lobola).
3. Cultural practices and perceptions on the social construction of males and females have a lot of bearing on gender based violence. Denial of existence of gender based violence thus, makes it continue to thrive. There is general acceptance of male infidelity as normal and the same is not true when a woman is unfaithful. In Chibombo court it was observed that cases of sexual abuse resulting into pregnancy were usually reported to court only when compensation was not paid and not because of the abuse itself.
4. Initiation rites caused boys to be more assertive and sometimes rude and violent while it reinforced withdrawal amongst girls. This is a result of the form of teachings and counselling received in the respective initiation camps (nyau for boys) and cinamwali for girls.
5. Limited and lack of certain social amenities e.g. water were cause for family conflicts and violence against women. Where women spend time out in long water queues to collect water was treated with suspicion by some husbands often ending in physical violence.

Recommendations

1. Awareness Creation
a. Plan should sensitize different categories of people on gender based violence and rights including sensitizing government and schools concerning issue of child labour.
b. Discussions should be conducted with traditional leaders and community members especially regarding nyau (ritual mask dancers) and initiation ceremonies.
c. Gender sensitization is also recommended for parents, teachers and traditional leaders.
d. Research on social attitudes would contribute to mapping way for further action.
2. Advocacy
a. Plan Zambia should develop a strategy for advocacy on priority issues of child labour, children's rights in general, early marriages and the importance of education.
b. Advocacy should include identifying role models in each PLAN Programme Unit and publicising what they have achieved
c. Child Rights groups should be initiated in each PLAN Programme Unit
d. Working with other organisations, a celebration of the Day of the Child, International Women's Day focussing on the girl child
e. PLAN should engage Members of Parliament in the areas where they are working on issues of advocacy as well as targeting the appropriate Parliamentary committees on these issues.
f. PLAN should engage the District education Boards as well as the Ministry of Education on the issue of child labour in schools and the need for more sensitisation of both teachers and the community on the issue of the Re- entry Policy.
g. In the sensitisation it is recommended that PLAN work with other stakeholders like the Police Victim Support Unit who have the personnel with knowledge on legal issues but lack logistical support. Other stakeholders like NGOs can also be identified.
h. In the communities there are no structures addressing gender -based violence and there is need to explore which agency can provide such services in each of the PLAN communities
i. Issues of sexual violence against children in Ngangula need to be addressed working in conjunction with the District Education Board in Mazabuka.
3. Poverty
a. The families and communities need economic empowerment and PLAN can work with other stakeholders on this issue

Comments from the organisation

Plan will follow up on the recommendations in the final year of implementation of this program viz CY2007. To supplement this study, also available is documentation on "Initiation of Girls in Chadiza, Zambia".