Oxfam vows to end GBV

….Judge says her organisation has assembled a team of champions to sensitize people about the dangers of GBV

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka (7-03-19) Oxfam Country director Dailes Judge has challenged the Zambian men to raise against the cultural norms and stereotypes  which give birth to gender based violence.
Ms. Judge told journalists when she officiated at the official launch of “I Care About Her” campaign theme song in Lusaka on Wednesday that incidents of violence against women should be removed completely.
She said Oxfam is committed to  fight all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and that is a reason why her organisation has partnered with top artists in the country to launch a campaign against the vice.
Instead of reducing women to objects of attack, Ms. Judge said communities should not be helped to develop a non violent approach towards women but taught how to respect and give them  rightful positions in society. 
“Our priority as an organisation is to see to it that, women are protected at all time.”
She said Oxfam has assembled a team of Champions assigned to both teach and sensitize the people against negative cultural norms affect the women.
Ms. Judge is of the view that women not only occupy an important position but are also important partners in the development of any society
“It is for this reason that communities should be made aware of the important role women have in society.”
She said men, who for some time have been responsible for the pain women go through, should be agents of change who should be responsible for improving the living standards of the women.
She said men should not only gang up to challenge the situation and events that threaten the life of women but also put an end to the silent approach when things go wrong.
She said it is the silence of good men that have perpatuated the suffering of women in society.
“When good men who have chosen to remain silence fail to challenge other men that abuse the women, the bad men fills the void and begin to abuse women.”
She expressed an urgent need for men to move out of the culture of silence and  denounced the abusive culture of bad men in society.”
“It is only that the rights and freedoms of women will be protected in our society.”
In 2012, Oxfarm launched the “I Care  About Her” campaign which is Divided into camps of Champions.
Each champion is located with about 20 people whom s/he teach and sensitise about the the cultural norms which hurtful  to the interest of women in their communities.
All Champions are dedicated not only to ending GBV but also to become Champions of good behaviour.
And speaking at the same function, artist Kantu Siachingili regretted that some women are not aware that they were victims of abuses in relationships.
Kantu expressed the need for society to rise up and show women that they are equal partners with men in development.
She said the song which was being launched would teach people not only to respect but also to create an enabling environment for them to protect women.
She said people should remain silent no more and urged them to immediately react when they see the rights of women being violated.
She said lack of information makes the people tolerate the crime against women is perpetrating the violence
And when giving a vote of thanks, Mwiza Zulu expressed gratitude to Oxfam for the support rendered when they embarked on the project of composing and producing the ” I Care About Her” Campaign in Zambia.
She said GBV not only in Zamabia but else where in the world is real and expressed the need for people to put their heads and hands together to fight the scauge.