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Zambia still failing to protect women from violence - Mambilima

Zambia still failing to protect women from violence - Mambilima
By Maluba Jere
Thu 10 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

DEPUTY chief justice Ireen Mambilima says Zambia is still failing to protect women and children from various forms of violence.

Speaking when she opened a workshop for lay magistrates on justice, jurisprudence, access and accountability, justice Mambilima (above) said that although some positive strides had been made to empower women economically, a lot still needed to be done.

“While I am aware that there is an anti-gender-based violence bill currently being debated in Parliament, and is almost certainly likely to become law, it is my view that more needs to be done to enhance the protection of women and children's rights and to ensure that they are not exposed to any form of violence,” she said.

Justice Mambilima said there was need to equip adjudicators at all levels with the knowledge and skills to be able to apply human rights law in their courts.

She said this was because adjudicators' courts dealt with a diversity of cases such as rape and other sexual offences, assault, battery and property settlement which, she said, directly involved the violation of human rights.

Justice Mambilima said that apart from violence against women and children, defilement, gender stereotyping, inheritance, succession and HIV and AIDS were among issues that confronted adjudicators, not only in their professional capacity, but as part of Zambian society.

Labels: IRENE MAMBILIMA, WOMEN

posted by MrK @ 2:06 PM