Results
One Stop Centres
Four One Stop Centres established in Kasama, Mporokoso, Mansa and Chiengi where survivors could receive assistance by way of psychosocial support, specialized medical care (including clinical rape management), legal counselling and protection services. Staff of the centres were extensively trained in GBV service provision, a survivor centered approach, and in the safe and ethical collection and management of GBV data. The establishment of the One Stop Centres improved the capacities of health service providers and contributed to a substantial increase in the number of survivors who sought and received medical screening services (9,843 since the beginning of the programme). According to centre and hospital records, 11,231 survivors accessed PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) and emergency contraception, mainly as part of clinical management of rape protocols.
Fast track courts
Four additional GBV fast track courts were launched in Chipata, Choma, Mongu and Ndola in 2018, bringing the total number to six. To strengthen case handling and management systems, the programme stakeholders continued to develop the capacities of law enforcement agencies. Over 1,500 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, medical personnel, social workers and One Stop Center staff received training in the management of GBV cases or methods of preparing witnesses for the fast track courts.
“We are excited, as medical personnel, for health workers training on the management of GBV cases as we now know what to do, how to identify and who to refer cases to when faced with a GBV case.”
Dr. Jonathan Mwansa, Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital
Justice for children
The programme supported the training of police officers in administering justice for child victims of crime and child survivors of GBV. In total, 130 officers (80 females) received training, bringing the total number of law enforcement and legal system officials trained on investigative and prosecutorial skills to 937. Furthermore, the number of traditional leaders and customary court adjudicators trained on CEDAW provisions in 2017 was 50, which brought the total number to 369 for the programme.
Expansion of community networks
To ensure One Stop Centres were linked with community leaders and local services, GBV community help desks were created by One Stop staff. In addition, personnel from the One Stop Centres fulfilled outreach obligations at the community level, engaging more than 700 people across community networks, sensitizing them on GBV risks and available psychosocial, basic counselling, and medical services. Many network members became trusted focal points within their communities, logging reports providing survivors with first aid response and safe referral.
Furthermore, sensitization campaigns focused on educating community members on drug abuse, child marriage, child abuse/child labour, migration and health, SRHR, domestic violence and abuse, and gender equality. Because of these campaigns, 270 GBV cases were reported in schools and 500 solar lanterns were given to new refugees at the Kenani Transit Centre. The availability of lighting offered protection to women and child-headed households, people who tend to have a heightened risk of GBV. Campaigns were also carried out in specific schools, which contributed to and increase the number of GBV cases reported and, in some cases, significantly decrease the average number of teen pregnancies per year.
Ninety survivors of GBV received training in economic empowerment with the aim of strengthening businesses, alleviating poverty, and contributing to the growth of household resources—thereby rendering 5,815 GBV survivors self-sufficient and sustaining. Income generating activities, resulting in 2,769 since inception. However, this number could have been higher but for refugees shunning the loans for fear of losing out on preferred durable solutions, the prohibitive legal framework to conduct income generating activities by refugees and migrants, slow loan repayment and defaulters which had a negative impact on the revolving fund mechanism.
“We cannot ignore the grave repercussions for survivors when cases are lost due to the mishandling of evidence.”
Victim Support Officer, Zambia Police Kabwe
Ministerial coordination and responses
The Ministry of Gender led an effective multi-sector GBV response by reinforcing and building coordination mechanisms. The Ministry worked with ten provincial Anti-GBV task forces to establish a total of 45 new task forces at the district level. Through these coordination mechanisms, the Ministry promoted harmonized and standardized responses that secured compliance to GBV guidelines developed in 2014 and referral guidelines drafted in 2015. With these mechanisms in place the Ministry developed minimum standards for the operationalization of village-led One Stop Centers for GBV prevention and protection.
Part of this elaboration included equipping local chiefs with tools and channels for disseminating information on GBV and adjudicating cases in customary courts in line with the Anti-GBV Act, National Gender Policy, CEDAW provisions, and other relevant human rights treaties, conventions and protocols. A notable result was the change to the minimum age for marriage: the limit now being18 for both statutory and customary courts, and for also treating all defilement and assault GBV cases as criminal and ensuring they are handled by the police.