Natwampane’s anti-SGBV campaigns penetrate Luapula, as more SGBV survivors receive support

Natwampane’s anti-Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and early marriages campaigns are penetrating most communities in Luapula Province. The European Union Delegation recently led a mission to Luapula to check on the performance of the Natwampane SGBV Programme in the five districts (Mansa, Milenge, Lunga, Chifunabuli and Samfya), which revealed increased number of SGBV reported cases and also noted increase in numbers of survivors receiving support services.

According to Luapula Natwampane Project Manager Mwenya Mabuku, the project actions have contributed to the steady increase in the number of survivors receiving support services from 476 (387 females, 89 males) in June 2020 in five One-stop Centres to 11, 424 (9,443 females and 1,981 males) as of June 2021.

Ms Mabuku added that there has been increase in number of SGBV survivors receiving legal support from 27 in June 2020 to 2,918 in June 2021. During the same period, 1,232 SGBV cases were investigated resulting in 137 SGBV active cases, 39 convictions, 42 sentences, eight acquittals and six cases were withdrawn.

The delegation led by EUD Manager for SGBV and Social Protection Sector, Marta Palmarola Adrados participated in several community activities, including the Listening Club session on K-Radio in Mansa, outreach events in Milenge, Lunga, Mansa and Samfya Districts.

Natwampane community outreach activities brought together local authorities, traditional and religious leaders, service providers and community members including young people to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and to improve access to quality services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

The Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is leading the implementation of the Natwampane Programme in Luapula. It is being supported by World Vision, Zambia Episcopal Conference, BBC Media Action, Women for Change, Lusitu Chambers and Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA).

On the K-Radio Listening Club programme, community members discussed cultural teachings such as the meaning and implications of “man being the head of the house”. Most community members including men, agreed to the need to refine such teachings so that they were not discriminatory to women.

In Milenge’s Kasanka School area, community groups that included Community Action Group (CAG), In-School and Out-School Peer Educators show-cased a number of performances that the groups were using to teach community members against SGBV.

NCA Country Director Jonathan Lea-Howarth told the Kasanka community outreach meeting that he was impressed with the anti-SGBV activities and that his organisation was committed to working with the groups in ending SGVB and early marriages.

Kasanka School head teacher Nkongo Mubanga said SGBV was one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world and yet, it was one of the least prosecuted crimes and a greatest threat to lasting peace and development.

“What we should know is that victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexual transmitted infections including HIV and even deaths,” said Ms Mubanga.

She added: “Indeed the effect of sexually gender based violence remain with the victim for as a lifetime and can pass from one generation to another. Therefore, it is time for action to end the violence against girls and boys, women and men and indeed the most vulnerable who is a child with special needs”.

Ms Mubanga said it was a blessing to have the European Union in Kasanka area because the coming of Natwampane had helped in increasing the number of children being brought back in school especially the most vulnerable one such as the deaf and the disabled.

She said the momentum against SGBV was gathering, awareness was rising and that long standing differences to violence was declining.

Reformed SGBV perpetrator Patrick Chama gave a personal testimony and declared that he was now an anti-SGBV champion and he was working with CAG and other groups to fight against SGBV.

“After being arrested for gender based violence, I am now a reformed person and a champion for the fight against SGBV early marriages,” said Mr. Chama at the Kasanka community outreach.

In attendance was the Kasanka area Sub-Chief Her Royal Highness Olipa Mumfute. She was delighted to see the EU delegation in her area and pledged her support to the fight against SGBV and early marriages.

The community outreach activity at Kasoma Lunga Primary School in Lunga District was attended by CAG, In-School and Out-School Peer Mentors. The delegation also paid courtesy call on Chief Kasoma Longa and met the Village Response Committee.

Despite several challenges due to its remote location, the Kasoma Lunga Chiefdom is determined to end SGBV and early marriages.

Kasoma Lunga Primary School teacher Ruth Nanyiza, who is also in In-School teacher mentor said there was positive attitude by pupils and community to messages of SGBV and early marriages.

“We have seen tremendous change among pupils and community members to ending SGBV and early marriages, before the Natwampane, there were so many cases of SGBV and early marriages,” said Ms Nanyiza during the outreach meeting at Kasoma Lungu Primary School.

In Samfya, the community outreach in Mano area included drama performances and thereafter, the Natwampane Team offered One-Stop-Centre services to the community.

As the mission ended with the electrifying community outreach in Mano area, it might to be too early to say that the fight against SGBV and early marriages has been won in the visited districts but is very correct to conclude that the anti-SGBV and early marriages messages are penetrating into the communities of Luapula Province.

The Natwampane is GRZ Programme funded under the European Development Fund with a budget of EUR 25 million (more than 400 million Kwacha) and is being implemented mainly through non-governmental organisations, working in close cooperation with local authorities and CSOs.

In order to promote the required mind set change, the programme is aiming to provide comprehensive sexuality education for 235,000 children, sensitise 335,000 children through clubs, engage 1,600 faith leaders, 1,800 traditional and civic leaders, 1,530 traditional and marriage counsellors and reach 200,000 young people through 392 radio programmes.

The programme is ensuring that all twenty-three districts of Luapula and Northern Province are well-equipped and well-supplied, functioning One-Stop Centres with well trained and mentored service staff. SGBV survivors are be able to receive medical care, police support, legal aid and psycho-social assistance under one roof. Both provinces also have functioning shelters for SGBV survivors.

Access to psycho-social counselling has increased thanks to the toll-free lines of Lifeline/Childline Zambia (tel. N. 933; 166). It is estimated that approximately 98,000 SGBV survivors will be supported through the programme.

The 4 implementing partners are:

• BBC Media Action – the organisation is working with all 13 radio stations in the two provinces to engage young people to share, understand and discuss SGBV and the issues surrounding it, such as gender equality and sexual health rights.
• Lifeline/Childline Zambia is providing a phone-based psycho-social counselling service to those experiencing SGBV. They have two key telephone lines that will be used on this project, 116 for children and 933 for adults.
• Norwegian Church Aid, responsible for implementation in the Province of Luapula and working in partnership with World Vision Zambia, Zambia Episcopal Conference, Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia, Women for Change and Lusitu Chambers.
• World Vision Zambia responsible for implementation in the Northern Province and working in partnership with the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Sport in Action and Women and Law in Southern Africa.