#EnoughIsEnough, Zambian Clubs Take on Global Challenge

Three simple letters. GBV. Gender-Based Violence. A complex, worldwide challenge with countless faces.

GBV is an umbrella term for harmful acts of abuse perpetrated against a person’s will and rooted in a system of unequal power between women and men. GBV can translate into varied scenarios, including domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, incest, femicide, female infanticide, genital mutilation, sexual harassment, discrimination, sex trafficking, and more. Poverty, women’s power disadvantage in relationships, and society’s societal acceptance of GBV leave many women vulnerable to abusive spouses, workmates, male relatives and well-off individuals.

Project Luangwa club and community members in Mfuwe, Zambia are joining together in solidarity to raise awareness of GBV

More than one-third (36%) of Zambian women have experienced physical violence since age 15. One in five women and girls (20%) suffer sexual abuse before age 18, and 39% are married before that age.

* Sourced from Afrobarometer, a nonprofit, pan-African non-partisan research network with headquarters in Ghana.

Mentor Fwilane Janery speaking at an awareness raising event

In rural Mfuwe, Zambia, Fwilane Janery, a GSGC Mentor for 10 years, has from the start focused on gender equity in her work with youth. In her 20 Project Luangwa clubs, 286 girls and 232 boys enjoy a safe, constructive environment that empowers them to recognize harmful cultural stereotypes, understand sexual reproduction and health, gain genuine mutual respect, and realize their full potential. This results in girls’ understanding their bodies and rights and boys’ supporting girls and women.

Fwilane’s commitment to tackling GBV has grown stronger in the past several years in response to a growing number of local and pan-national GBV incidents. She has always been a passionate advocate for Project Luangwa’s community involvement in a number of areas, but she also understands the need to join forces with others across the country.

In 2021, Project Luangwa clubs and their members first participated in solidarity walks to raise community awareness of GBV. Most recently, they took part in a national Zambian campaign against domestic violence. Dubbed “Enough is Enough,” it included weekly community events that allowed people to share what they know about GBV and its roots.

In 2021 Project Luangwa Clubs started participating in solidarity walks and recently took part in a national Zambian campaign against domestic violence, dubbed “Enough is Enough”

Mentor Fwilane’s efforts related to GBV have not gone unnoticed. She and fellow GSGC colleagues have been invited to conduct therapy sessions for victims of violence. They also continue to offer club safe spaces to community members to use, a crucial gesture where no other such safe spaces exist. Attendees often describe their experiences from individual, family and village viewpoints.

With Mentor Fwilane’s guidance, survivors are supported using a sensitive, holistic approach that addresses their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Her efforts are combined with others in the community.

Their mentoring approaches include: 

1. Active Listening: we have created a safe and non-judgmental space for survivors to share their experiences. Active listening helps survivors feel heard and validated.

2. Empowerment and Choice: Empowering survivors to make decisions about their own lives and healing journey. We respect their choices and provide information to help them make informed decisions.

3. Counseling and Therapy: we are offering access to all the victims to professional counselors or therapists who are trained in trauma and GBV issues, either from us or other service providers. We are very aware that therapy helps survivors process their experiences and develop coping strategies.

4. Peer Support: Connect survivors with peer support or mentors who have experienced similar situations. Peer support can provide a sense of belonging and understanding.

5. Follow-Up and Long-Term Support: Maintain regular contact with survivors to monitor their progress, offer ongoing support, and adjust interventions as needed.

These Project Luangwa Mentors and their youth are shining examples of how to begin at ground level to raise awareness of GBV, discuss approaches to eradicating it, and strengthenits victims. Three months ago, they joined the rest of the globe in a “Thursday in Black Campaign.” This initiative encourages all individuals to wear black each Thursday. Wearing black might mean donning a campaign T-shirt, other black clothes, or sporting a victims’ campaign badge. Most importantly, wearing black on Thursdays demonstrates one’s belief that gender-based violence must end. It advocates for communities in which everyone can walk freely without fear.

Wearing black on Thursdays demonstrates one’s belief that gender-based violence must end

GSGC is deservedly proud of Mentor Fwilane and Project Luangwa clubs for their ongoing commitment to this essential cause.