On 9 and 10 December 2019 the European Union and the Government of Republic of Zambia officially launched the NATWAMPANE programme in two events held back to back in Mansa and Kasama, provincial capitals of Luapula and Northern Provinces respectively.
The NATWAMPANE programme is bringing together local authorities, traditional and religious leaders, service providers and young people to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and to improve access to quality services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Zambia in Luapula and Northern Provinces.
The programme is funded under the European Development Fund with a budget of EUR 25 million (more than 400 million Kwacha) and will be implemented mainly through non-governmental organisations, working in close cooperation with local authorities and CSOs.
The Kasama event was graced by the Zambian President, H.E. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who said that: “there should be no compromise when it comes to any issues to do with SGBV, all matters should be reported and let the law take its course”. In turn Ambassador of the European Union to Zambia, H.E. Jacek Jankowski, called on all stakeholders to join forces to stop SGBV: “Together we are strong, and together we can make a difference. Together – NATWAMPANE – we can change the minds of people (…) about what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behaviour. We can address negative cultural and social norms.”
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Representatives of traditional leaders acknowledged their role as ‘agents of change’ in transforming traditional institutions and by-laws to prevent and respond to SGBV, and committed to mobilising their communities, especially men and boys, into discussions of power relations, as well as supporting advocacy campaigns against SGBV including child marriages.
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 will ensure that all twenty-three districts of Luapula and Northern Province will have well-equipped and well-supplied, functioning One-Stop Centres with well trained and mentored service staff. SGBV survivors will be able to receive medical care, police support, legal aid and psycho-social assistance under one roof. Both provinces will also have functioning shelters for SGBV survivors. Access to psycho-social counselling will increase 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 will work 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 that will provide 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.
European Union