Published On December 7, 2020 » 8070 Views»
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By FRANCINA CHOMBA
THE Zambia National Men’s Network for Gender and Development (ZNMNGD) has reached out to 40 Gender Based Violence (GBV) perpetrators in Chongwe as part of the 16 days of activism commemoration.
ZNMNGD national cordinator Nelson Banda said the 40 perpetrators were identified through the local men’s network structures and women whose husbands were involved in violent behaviour.
Mr Banda said in a statement yesterday that the aim of the gender transformation training was to enable the perpetrators to do away with their toxic masculinities that disadvantage women.
“ZNMNGD is conducting a gender transformation training for GBV perpetrators in Chongwe as part of the 16 days of gender activism and the response from the perpetrators is overwhelming as some of them also revealed how they have been abused by their spouses,” he said.
Mr Banda said perpetrators from different communities commended the ZNMNGD for coming up with such a programme as it will enable them to heal from past violent experiences.
And Mr Banda said the ZNMNGD also convened the first men’s conference against early marriages and all forms of gender injustices in Chongwe and Rufunsa districts.
He said this was part of efforts to reach out to more men and boys to find solutions against gender injustices from a Male perspective.
Mr Banda said the men’s conference in the two districts mobilized traditional leaders, men and boys to deliberate their role and find lasting solutions against the practice.
“The men’s network was the first of it’s kind to be convened by men in rural districts in Zambia in response to the Government’s strategy of ending early marriages, it brought together traditional leaders, men and boys to share experiences against the vice and some of the challenges of working in communities riddled with harmful practices that hinder the advancement of women and girls,” he said.
Mr Banda said the conference also recognized and honoured 12 men and boys who have been instrumental to fight negative traditional practices in order to change the mindset of other men.
