3 million Zambians Expected to be Reached
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA, 04 NOVEMBER 2009 (UNICEF) - In response to growing incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) in Zambia, UNICEF and its partners are working with the Government to communicate anti-GBV advocacy messages to more than 3 million people in five districts across the vast African nation.
The massive campaign kicked off this past weekend in Mazabuka (Southern Province) and will continue with anti-GBV "road shows" over the next five weeks. Besides Mazabuka, the targeted districts are Mansa (Luapula), Kasama (Northern), Ndola (Copperbelt) and Livingstone (Southern). These areas were selected by the Government due to high numbers of GBV incidences.
The field activities started immediately after the National Communication Strategy on Gender-based Violence was launched in Lusaka by the President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Rupiah Banda, on 29 October. The theme of the campaign is, "Abuse, Just Stop It."
"Protection has always been central to UNICEF's work, and in Zambia we are committed to ensure that this includes the protection of women and children from violence. This requires action and commitment from all levels of Zambian society. We believe this communication strategy will go a long way towards ensuring that the problem of gender-based violence in Zambia is eradicated," says Elspeth Erickson, UNICEF Zambia Deputy Representative.
In each of the selected districts, the road shows will be preceded by school debates covering five schools; door-to-door campaigns; and community drama shows in three communities. Mobile video shows will conclude the activities, including broadcasting educational videos against GBV at community centres and popular gathering points such as public markets and schools.
In Mansa, the activities will be crowned at the official opening of the One-Stop-Center at Mansa General Hospital on 07 November and thereafter the road show will commence. The road shows will then move to Kasama on 14 November. The following week in Ndola activities will commence earlier in the week with a training of traditional leaders (chiefs and their indunas) that will coincide with sensitization messages on community radio stations. The Ndola road show will be held on 21 November. Livingstone will hold the final events on 28 November. Sensitiation activities will take place before the road show activities get underway.
"The intensity of the programme is meant to profile gender-based violence in the media continuously and consistently for one month to reach maximum internalization of the messages among target audiences. We believe this will lead to behaviour change which we hope to continue reinforcing with media messages and programmes for the next two years," says Annie Sampa Kamwendo, UNICEF Zambia's Child Rights Officer.
A radio and TV package on GBV began to air a month before the launch of the national communications strategy. The programmes include live-call-in shows with panelists answering questions about GBV.
"We are excited about the partnership in this campaign. For example, the prizes for the school debates, radio programmes and road shows have been provided by different organizations. World Vision has provided a computer and printer, a television set and DVD player for the winners in the school debates. UNICEF has printed thousands of tee-shirts and caps for the road shows and the radio programmes. UNICEF has also printed posters, banners and funded all the radio and TV programmes," says Kamwendo.
A joint technical team from UNICEF and partners is being deployed to the five districts to observe and monitor the campaign.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Slavin, Chief, Communications, UNICEF Zambia at 260-1-252055, pslavin@unicef.org, or James Simasiku, Communications for Development, UNICEF Zambia at 260-1-252055 jsimasiku@unicef.org.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
