REPORT ON COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNS

INTRODUCTIONThe community campaigns were conducted in 10 communities of Mongu district and focussed on raising awareness on the implications of early marriages, alcohol abuse and gender based violence to the youths, and young girls precisely. Prior to the events, preparatory meetings were held with community leadership structures such as indunas, area development committees and government ministries and departments which included schools, clinics and community development with full engagement of in and out of school youths. In total, 20 campaigns were conducted from which, each community held two, one on early marriages and the other on alcohol abuse and gender based violence. The campaigns targeted the community members from the communities the “Girl Power Initiative” project is been implemented.

As the campaigns were conducted on two different agendas, each campaign raised awareness in line with its agenda.

The campaign on early marriages targeted audience from parents and indunas as they are the gate keepers for girls and have greater influence on the life of a girl child. The aim was to share with community members on the importance of delaying marriage to the girl child with the aim to enable advancement in education but also to accord the girls the opportunity to enjoy childhood, and enable them experience the normal human development process. It was equally highlighted during the campaigns that it was against human rights and therefore, if a person is found to have had married off or is undertaking a marital process of a young girl, such a person will be charged and actually sentenced to prison.

Cont….The Campaign on

alcohol and gender based violence gave an in-depth details on the different forms of gender based violence and how the abuse of substance contributes to the cases in the communities. An exhaustive explanation on the forms of gender based violence such as physical and mental, provided the present members with a new and better perspective regarding gender based violence cases perpetrated on the minority and marginalised groups in society. Such include; the differently abled, children, girls, women, orphans and other minority groups. Further, it was indicated explicitly on the importance for the community members to fight such vices by taking advantage of the different avenues for reporting to the authorities. Curbing alcohol and substance use among youths was emphasized and the greater need for the community to take action so that no young person can be sold or allowed to enter bars to access the substances.

SPEECHESGirls presented speeches on the issues affecting them such as early marriages, early initiations and economic exploitations that come through their involvement in economic activities which consequently exposes the girl child to early sexual activities like selling at the markets. Lack of motivation and encouragement at household level to a girl child continues to contribute to the low esteem girls experience. The speeches further captured the need to support the education of the child by providing for equal studying opportunities as the boy right from home.

PLEDGESArising from the presented speeches, present indunas made pledges in line with the issues brought to their attention. “I stand here today pledging that whoever is going to be found engaging in sexual activities with a girl, selling beer to a child, sending his or her child to buy cigarette or any intoxicating substance, such a person will be visited by the law.”

CONCLUSION The INVOLVEMENT OF ONE-STOP CENTER FOR GENDER BASED VIOLENCE SURVIVIOR SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNS ENABLED THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN MORE ON THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PROGRAM AT URBAN CLINIC AND THAT FOR ANYTHING THEY ARE FREE TO REPORT DIFFERENT CASES THERE. THE INVOLVEMENT OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGNS WAS SUCH A SUCCESS. THE YOUNG AMBASSADORS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE PLANNING AND AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAMPAIGNS. FOR THEM, THE WHOLE PROCESS EMPOWERED THEM WITH DIFFERENT SKILLS LIKE PLANING AND DECCSION MAKING . IN TOTAL, 1123 PEOPLE WERE REACHED OUT TO DURING THE CAMPAIGNS.

CHALLENGES1. The challenges encountered during the campaigns were more transport to

Placement on the actual day as they was either delay in travelling while at the

Station or vehicle developed a fault while on the raod. Due to this, staff got held up

and their arrival on time.

2. Low turn –up in some communities due to some economical activities going on such as harvesting of rice3 communication challenges due to lack of good network in some areas affected effective communication in instances where there was change of dates.

LESSONS LEARNT COMMUNITY MEMEBRS STILL LACK KNOWLDEGE ON WHICH INSTITUTIONS TO

REPORT CASES OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. FOR THOSE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS LACK OF TRUST IN THE SYSTEM AND

HENCE SUCH CASES ARE LEFT UNREPORTED. COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO TRADITIONALLY ADDRESS CASES WITHOUT THE

INVOLVEMENT OF THE POLICE

GALLERY

Mulambwa guidance and counselling teacher having a talk to people in the market during the campaign on alcohol and gender based violence.

Assistant Program Coordinator talking to the people during the community campaign at a bus station-Martha Kaunda.

AN ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE DURING A CAMPAIGN

COMMUNITY YOUTHS PERFOMING DRAMA