UNI-Africa Affiliates celebrate Women's Day

MORE than 40 women from three UNI affiliates in Zambia took part in the International Women's Day on 8 March. The affiliates that participated are the National Union of Communications Workers, the Zambia Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers and the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers. Other participating women groups came from the national centre, political parties, church organisations, women lobby groups, NGOs, and parastatal and private sector companies.

The women said they shared the grief on the loss of life and property in Mozambique due to floods and commended the international community for responding to the plight of flood victims, especially women. Other speakers called for an end to violence against women and children, the promotion of gender issues, and the need for women to start campaigning for fellow women to enter politics. UNI-Africa Women's Committee vice-president Rose Mwanza, who was part of the organising committee in Ndola, observed that women had always been counting on support from men in their cause. She challenged them "to stand up, be visionaries and determine their cause by supporting fellow women." ZUFIAW women's committee national chairperson Maureen Chelemu called for respect for women's rights at the workplace and a guarantee for women positions in every sphere of life.

Meanwhile, the Zambian government has finally adopted the National Gender Policy. The policy will ensure that the macro socio-economic policies and programmes are gender responsive in order to facilitate and accelerate the process of gender mainstreaming. It will also ensure the repealing or amending of laws that hinder women's access to and control over reproductive resources.

Gender activists have been pressuring for the adoption of the policy since the Beijing Women's Conference in China. They described its adoption as the dawn of the emancipation of women in Zambia.

Go to Women's march pages

 Women from the Planned Parenthood Association marching

Women representatives from UNI affiliate, NUCW, carrying posters on justice and human rights

UNI affiliate ZUFIAW women taking part in the women's day