By SYLVIA MWEETWA –
THE construction of the first  Gender Based Violence (GBV)fast track court in Kabwe  has cheered the residents,  the Government and religious  leaders.
The stakeholders have described the setting-up of the facility as a step in the right direction.
According to some law-enforcers, the construction of the new GBV facility will assist in  protecting, especially the  defiled children.
In the past, children who were allegedly defiled have ended up  refusing to give evidence after seeing the accused person appear with them in court.

•Kabwe Principal Resident Magistrate John Mbuzi talking to Gender Permanent Secretary Daisy Ngambi and her Central Province counterpart Edwidge Mutale . Pictures by SYLVIA MWEETWA

Recently Kabwe principal  resident magistrate John Mbuzi told Gender Permanent Secretary Daisy Ng’ambi and her Central  Province counterpart Edwidge Mutale who toured the new court premises  that the facility would enable the defiled girl or sodomised boy to testify calmly  without fear.
Magistrate Mbuzi said provision  of a special room for the girl or boy-child was aimed at ensuring that they gave evidence without fear of the accused person.
“I want to state that from the  design of the  new  facility,  the  victims  would  not be  able  to see  the accused face to face  while  giving  evidence but  will  only  do  that  when it comes to identifying him or her, “he said.
Not  long ago a  four –year-old  girl wept uncontrollably  after  seeing  the  accused person in court.
The girl immediately after seeing the accused person broke down and held on tightly to  her mother while hiding  her  face prompting, the magistrate  to ask the mother to take the  girl outside to allow  her  compose herself.
The court had to depend on evidence from a witness  who caught the accused person red handed defiling the girl in a maize  field.
Another girl narrated before  the same magistrates court how 25-year-old man asked her to choose between life and death before repeatedly defiling her.
She explained that while in her  mother’s house the accused  followed her and lifted  her and took her to a nearby  bush and made her to lie on the ground before defiling her.
Another case was of a six-year -old girl who in her testimony only pointed at the accused before she remained mute. The accused had cut her private parts with a knife.
It is clear from these cases that the new court will make it easy for defiled children to testify.
After touring the new facility,  Ms Ng’ambi stated that the  fight against GBV was a war  which needed to be fought by all Zambians.
She paid tribute to the United Nations for contributing finances towards the setting up of the GBV fast track courts in Kabwe and Lusaka, adding that this would help in curbing the acts of sexual violence which were increasing at an alarming rate .
Ms Ng’ambi said was happy that the works were almost  concluded and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to  ensuring that victims of GBV  are protected.
She explained that the establishment of fast track and user-friendly courts would enable the justice delivery system to expeditiously dispose of GBV cases.
Ms Ng’ambi who was accompanied by Ms Mutale said statistics showed that incidences of GBV cases had continued to rise despite stiff punishments being meted out on the culprits.
“I am happy that the construction of the fast track court is progressing well with 90 per cent of the works completed. But what we are remaining with is the training of prosecutors most likely to be concluded in two weeks’ time before the facility is opened, ”she said.
She said the Government was  committed to ensuring that victims of GBV are protected  and that the fast track courts would  offer protection especially to children and also appealed to the media to protect the victims by not revealing their names.
While appreciating the role the media plays in educating and  informing the public about the vice, she said journalists should attempt to protect especially the identity of victims.
She also cautioned women against withdrawing cases of GBV because of fear of losing their marriages.
And Ms Mutale said  she was happy with the setting up of the fast track court  in the  province considering  the increase in cases of GBV.
She explained that often times victims of GBV have lost out  because of delays to conclude  the cases, while in some cases key witnesses have just vanished thereby denying people accused of GBV crimes justice.
United Nations (UN) country co-coordinator Janet Rogan said the decision to build a GBV courts in Kabwe and Lusaka was a good move and that she was confident this would help  protect both  victims and accused persons.
Recently the Zambia National Women’s Lobby group in Central Province said it was saddened that cases of defilement and other forms of violence against women were on the increase.
From December 2011 a total of 11,908 cases of GBV were reported to the police victim support unit country wide of which only 2,170 were brought before the courts of law while 9,738 were not.
Out of all the cases brought before the courts of law only 858 resulted in convictions and 56 in acquittals, while 233 were withdrawn. Out of the 11,908 reported cases 9,738 did not go to court.
Bwacha constituency Member of Parliament Sydney Mushanga who is Education Deputy Minister  said it was important to remember the survivors of violence and those that have died because of the many forms of GBV.
He saluted all the gallant women for exhibiting their bravery, love and commitment to serve their country and inspire girls to serve their communities.
Mr Mushanga said the Government was aware that the majority of people particularly women were vulnerable since they were living in abject poverty and it was making efforts to address this problem.
He added that only a few women were empowered and the majority still continued to be trapped in low income category.
He called on all Zambians to work together towards the advancement of women’s welfare.