BAULENI COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON ENDING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV) AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

Remarks from H.E. Alessandro Mariani,

Ambassador of the European Union

29 November 2017

• I am pleased to be here today along with my colleagues Ambassadors/High Commissionersof European Union Member States, to join this community conversation in Bauleni on ending gender based violence (GBV) against women and girls, as part of the 16 days of Activism to raise public awareness against GBV in the strongest way.

• We stand with the people and government of Zambia who are condemning all forms of violence, recognizing the overwhelming burden of violence against women and girls, and reaffirming our commitment to ending GBV.

• The Zambian government has ratified a number of international and regional gender-related conventions and treaties, and has developed and enacted several GBV-related laws, policies, and plans.In particular the 2011 Anti-GBV Act, the 2015 Gender Equality and Equity Act, the 2014 National Gender Policy, and the National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage 2016-2021. maintenance and acceleration of efforts to enhance responsiveness in all dimensions.

• Despite these efforts, the challenge remains very real and requires more and more actions. In 2016 there were 18,540 reported GBV cases countrywide compared to 15,153 GBV cases reported in 2014.Up until June of this year, GBV cases in Zambia reported stood at 10,994.  The Zambia Health and Demographic Survey 2013-14 stated that 43% of Zambian women (age 15-49) have experienced physical violence since age 15, with current or former husbands/ partners as the main perpetrators of physical, emotional and sexual violence.  45% of Zambian women age 25-49 were married by the age of 18 and close to 10% by the age of 15. A large fraction of GBV incidences are never reported and therefore never addressed. The 2013-14 ZDHS reported that from all women who had experienced any type of physical or sexual violence, only 43% of women sought help to stop the violence, 9% never sought help but told someone; and 42% did not seek help and never told anyone.

• The European Union's Human Rights and Democracy Country Strategy for Zambia, jointly agreed by all EU Member States and the EU Delegation, includes the fight against gender-based violence and the advancement of women's and girls' rights, including sexual and reproductive health rights, as one of our priorities for 2016 to 2020.

• In September this year we have approved a large program to be implemented in Northern and Luapula provinces, focused on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Prevention and Support to SGBV Survivors in Zambia. This will be a EUR 25 million (approx. 280 million Kwacha) project and key priority areas of support will be SGBV prevention; service delivery to women and girls affected by GBV; and building an enabling environment to prevent and respond to SGBV.

• I would like to thank NGOCC and its member organizations for organizing this event, to highlight drivers of GBV in communities and hear recommendations on strategies to stop GBV by community members. Last year the European Union signed a 3 year project with NGOCC. Its main objective is women empowerment both socially and economically. This partnership is a unique opportunity for the European Union to reach out to local (Zambian) organizations some of whom are present here today, which is one of our priorities in our engagement with civil society. As “the eyes and ears” on the ground, you know what is going on in your country when it comes to issues such as GBV and how best to tackle these issues.

• Globally, the EU will be working with the UN and other stakeholders on the global Spotlight Initiative, focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. The iwill deploy targeted, large-scale investments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, aimed at achievingsignificant improvements in the lives of women and girls.

• The EU has also formally taken over the leadership of the global initiative 'Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies', from Sweden. During its one-year leadership, the EU will focus on strengthening awareness and implementation of the Call to Action by the humanitarian community, and advocate for the need to prevent and respond to gender-based violence during each phase of an emergency.

• Finally, I would like to say thank you to the communities of Bauleni for hosting all of us today, and for sharing your experiences of GBV as well as proposing strategies on how to fight against GBV

Zikomo Kwambiri