Crossing the Line to Stop Violence

Zambian Women’s Rights Activist Provides Window of Hope for Victims of Gender Based Violence!

 

Mwanga Simwanda, 28, is a dedicated women’s rights activist and a survivor of physical abuse.

Mwanga who is currently living and working in Zambia’s capital city Lusaka, is not only a survivor of gender based violence, but a window of hope for victims of gender based violence.

Having suffered physical abuse that had been inflicted upon her by her spouse for 3 years, Mwanga brings hope to other women who experience gender based violence through a Gender Based Violence Clinic or corner called ‘The Safe Haven Gender Based Violence Corner’.

 Mwanga set up the Safe Haven Gender Based Violence Corner at Kamwala Health Center located within Kamwala Township in Lusaka this year (2012).

Mwanga who is currently on separation from her husband, while awaiting divorce proceedings, was motivated to set up the Safe Haven Gender Based Violence Corner after her traumatic experience of spousal abuse.

Mwanga says her husband used to beat her on several occasions over minor disagreements.

“The frequent beatings cost me my job as I was not able to concentrate on my work with all the stress from the marriage”, says Mwanga.

“The beatings became worse when he started seeing another woman”, narrates Mwanga.

On one occasion Mwanga’s husband beat her while she was seven months pregnant and she almost lost the baby. Fortunately she was able to deliver a live baby after being rushed to a health facility.

After that experience, Mwanga decided to leave her matrimonial home. She realized that her husband’s continued assaults endangered not only her life but that of her two children as well.

After leaving her husband, Mwanga’s mother took her and her two children in. Making ends meet was difficult as her husband refused to support her or the children and she had already resigned from her job.

Mwanga’s husband had often told her that he could only support their children if Mwanga and the children moved back in with him, which she refused to do.

“This is what most women fear, moving from being financially comfortable to having nothing. It is a difficult decision and it takes a lot courage and determination not to go back to the abusive situation” says Mwanga.

Eventually, Mwanga found a job at the Ministry of Health at Kamwala Health Center. While at the Health Center she saw several women who had been beaten seeking medical attention. It is at this point that Mwanga took the initiative of setting up the Safe Haven Gender Based Violence Corner.

The Safe Haven Gender Based Violence Corner which has been operating for over three months now offers referral services to victims of Gender based violence, and has handled several cases of violence against women and girls.

Using her own experience of physical abuse to connect with the women, Mwanga refers complicated cases to non-governmental organizations including Young Women’s Christian Association, Women and law in Southern Africa- WILSA, Youth Vision Zambia as well as the Zambia Victim Support Unit.

“My idea was to open the GBV corner was also born after I gained political consciousness of how such as issues are depoliticized. Also, after participating in several power analysis and self-awareness exercises I came to the realization that staying in an abusive relationship was detrimental to my wellbeing and self-development and now I am able to help other women who are going through a similar experience.”

I have been motivated by my participation in several feminist spaces facilitated by Generation Alive, Youth Vision Zambia & Just Associates- JASS and the Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa- OSISA.

There are many other young women like Mwanga who have experienced or are experiencing violence within their relationships/marriages, but very few have been able to leave abusive marriages due to various social economic factors including poverty, and cultural norms.

While some women in Zambia think leaving an abusive relationship/marriage is unthinkable, young women activists in Zambia like Mwanga are crossing the cultural barriers that promote a culture of silence around spousal abuse and other forms of gender based violence.

Mwanga’s story is unique in that she found the strength to leave an abusive marriage and found a way to give hope and inspire others that are experiencing gender based violence.

By Wala Nulungwe- Generation Alive Member.

Deconstructing Patriachy and exploring gender dynamics

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“Connecting girls, Inspiring futures: Mentorship for Success”

Press Release : Stop Violence Against Women & Children

A Young women's dialogue held prior to Womens day this year brought together young women activists and feminists  to reflect on this year’s women’s day theme and explore ways in which they can amplify their powers by working collectively in creating social change. The dialogue was supported and faciliated by Youth Vision Zambia and JASS S.ADuring the dialogue a press release on GBV was written and published on 8th March 2012 in the Zambia's local newspaper the post. Read on...................

Press Release

The increase of gender based violence (GBV) cases in Zambia is alarming. With over 11,000 cases of GBV recorded country wide in 2011, gender based violence which has been identified as a significant driver of  HIV infections in Zambian women, not only affects the victims themselves who are often women and girls, but their families, communities and societies at large .

As young women activists we are profoundly concerned about the escalating cases of violence against women in the country and as we commemorate International Women’s Day 2012, we are calling for more political commitment towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.

Government, civil society and the public must take affirmative action to ensure that women are protected from all form s of violence and deliver a strategy to guarantee all women the right to live free from violence.

As young women activists we are demanding for:

·        The creation of fast track gender based violence victim friendly courts.

·        Deliberate measures that will specifically address stigma and discrimination of victims of gender based violence.

·        The creation of gender based violence recovery units in all major hospitals, in all districts with trained personnel.

·        Practical enforcement of the law surrounding GBV so as to dissuade would be perpetrators of GBV.

·        The harmonization of the Anti Gender Based Violence Act of 2011 with the penal code for effective penalization of perpetrators.

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contact person : Chanda Buumba Katongo

Gender Programs & Advocacy Officer,

Youth Vision Zambia

0977 487048 / 0966487048/+260 211233616

info@yvz.org.zm              www.yvz.org.zm

Cross the Line with Us.

They say...a woman should not cross over from teary eyes to regain strength

She must stay on the side of the line even after rape, betrayal, lover’s abuse

So that she must be called ABUSED!

She must stay victimized and disrespected

To earn a place on a pedestal so that she can be called sexy

And left to go insane with expectations about her femininity

She must remain waiting for words of appreciation and affirmation that never come

Waiting for equal pay, equal say and equal opportunities that never come

Waiting for acknowledgement and not judgement

And when achieving any place of power, reduced only to the line that dictates how much she should be empowered

We say...she must walk, she must run, she must fight and go that extra mile

She must deconstruct the system and break down the barriers

Challenge the aggression and free herself from oppression

For she must take back the power

And together...we are women crossing the line

Nana Speaks!

My passion… is addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues through creating a collective voice on issues affecting us as young women and providing hope and mentorship to those coming after me.

My obsession? Perfection, learning and opinion! I believe in learning as a form of understanding and unpacking of issues. I am totally obsessed with perfection and opinion as I believe in speaking my mind and getting things done in perfection.

My thoughts around...
Voice: My Voice is a weapon for challenging patriarchy and all forms of oppression, and it should never be compromised. Although we are not homogenous, young women can use our collective voices to address issues affecting us and to strengthen young women’s organizing.

Power: Many people think that as young women we have no power. I tend to think that every woman has power, individually; the power within and collectively; the power with. I regard power as a resource, therefore, there is need to harness all forms of power; our power to continue the fight for social justice and equity.

Body: I once read a quote by Margaret Sanger that ‘No woman can call herself free who does not control her own body’. This for me has stood strong over the years. Women’s bodies are often violated during conflict situations, and even when there is peace. To free ourselves…or rather FREEDOM from oppression is to gain autonomy over our bodies; to have bodily integrity and to be able to make our own choices.

My Vision is to contribute to the emancipation of women from patriarchy and patriarchal perspectives that hinder us from achieving our fullest potential. I envision communities and the world that upholds justice, human rights and equity, where women are not objects of oppression.

And lastly, my thoughts on Pepeta Africa. I hope that this will be a platform for collective voice and action for young women to participate in decision making, to challenge patriarchy and the status quo and to influence actions and decisions about issues affecting us. My hope is that Pepeta Africa will be the tool for us to demonstrate our passion, commitment, power, resilience and collective voice.

(EXCERPT from the Pepeta Regional Cluster on SRHR)