While major milestones have been achieved, including the 2023 revisions to the Law of Marriage Act to ensure minimum age of marriage of 18 for both customary and statutory marriages, challenges in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment remain many. Gender-based violence remains a serious issue in Zambia, with nearly 36% of women aged 15-49 having experienced physical violence. Furthermore, about 29% of girls are married by the age of 18, and more than 29% become mothers while still in their teens. These are some of the statistics that underscore the urgent need for comprehensive action to address gender inequality.
In response, Zambia has developed and launched a groundbreaking National Gender Policy and Implementation Plan. This ambitious framework, developed by the Gender Division, represents a significant leap towards gender parity in the country. The policy's creation was a collaborative endeavour, incorporating feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including the UNFPA Zambia Country Office and other international and local partners.
A Comprehensive Approach to Gender Equality
Aligned with the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the National Gender Policy supports gender-transformative approaches across all UNFPA programs. It emphasizes the importance of agency, choice, and access for women and girls, empowering them to exercise autonomy and make decisions both within and outside their homes. The policy further echoes the need for access to information, sexual and reproductive health and rights services in all contexts. It focuses on creating pathways and linkages that drive change and prioritizes partnerships, advocacy, and support for women’s and adolescent girls’ agency and access to services.
The National Gender Policy adopts a multisectoral approach, aiming to integrate gender equality across various facets of Zambian society. Designed to tackle gender disparities and promote equal opportunities, the policy reflects the complexity of gender issues and the necessity for a coordinated response.
International Support and Collaborative Efforts
The development of the National Gender Policy has been greatly supported by international partners, including Ireland, Sweden, and the UN system in Zambia. These partners provided critical technical and financial assistance through the UN-GRZ Joint Programme on Gender-Based Violence (GBVII) and the Gender Equality and Women Participation Initiative (GEWPI). Their involvement was instrumental in both formulating and implementing the policy, ensuring that the necessary resources and expertise were available to tackle gender issues effectively.
From Policy to Practice: The Implementation Plan
The Implementation Plan serves as a practical roadmap to turn the policy’s strategic goals into real-world results. Building on the achievements of the 2000 and 2014 policies, the plan seeks to accelerate progress toward gender equity and equality. It aims to ensure a fair distribution of opportunities and resources between men and women, and between girls and boys, contributing to poverty reduction and national development.
Aligned with the National Development Plans, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Vision 2030, the plan envisions a prosperous middle-income Zambia. By translating policy objectives into actionable outcomes, it strives to achieve tangible improvements in gender equality.
A Commitment to Progress
The National Gender Policy and its Implementation Plan reflect Zambia's deep commitment to advancing gender equality. With a multisectoral approach and robust international support, Zambia is well-positioned to make significant strides in addressing gender disparities and fostering a more inclusive society. UNFPA is committed to providing support to the Government of Zambia towards the generation and utilization of disaggregated data to guide improved policy and legal environment for protection of women and girls at risk of GBV, including child marriage.
Access the
National Gender Policy here https://zambia.un.org/en/278048-national-gender-policy-2023
National Gender Policy Implementation Plan https://zambia.un.org/en/278049-national-gender-policy-implementation-plan-2023-2028
