The Non-Governmental Gender Organizations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has urged government to act decisively on gender equality issues, ensuring that women and girls are not left behind in the country’s social, political, and economic development.
Organization Board Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, has described the year 2024 as challenging for the Organization and the Women’s Movement as Zambia remains an unequal nation as can be seen from the exclusion of women in decision-making positions and the increased vulnerabilities that come with being female.
Speaking during the NGOCC 2024 end of year media briefing in Lusaka today, Ms. Katebe said in the year under review, the Organization observed that numbers of women in elected positions at various levels of governance remained extremely low.
“This was evident in the areas we monitored, where no female politicians were adopted to contest the by-elections held in the 16 wards and 1 constituency, across the country,” said Ms. Katebe.
Ms. Katebe said political parties did not demonstrate the requisite political will to field female candidates, hence eliminating any chance of the election of female politicians.
She further said the Organization has since resolved to heighten its advocacy for legal and policy reforms to allow for more women to rise to various levels of political leadership ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
By Margaret Mwanza
