3000 Men March To End Violence Against Women and Girls In Zambia

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL), Zambia Police Serve (ZP) and the Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA) with support from Oxfam successfully marked the 2016 #16DaysOfActivism To End Violence Against Women and Girls globally through the #3000ManMarch which was held at Chawama Grounds on Saturday 21^st November in Lusaka.

The men’s march is held annually as part of the I Care About Her Campaign - an attitude change initiative that has mobilized over 7,000 men committed to taking action to stop violence against women in form of rape, defilements, beating and child marriages.

During the event, phase three of the I Care About Her Campaign was launched building on recommendations from an evaluation report which include partnering with the Ministry of Gender and Child Development on the HE 4 SHE campaign, strengthening the women’s movement, working with higher learning institutions as well as good role models like musician Brian Bwembya aka B Flow as the campaign ambassador.

In this phase, ongoing support to the Zambia Police Gender Desk and Victim Support Unit will continue as well as continuation of the popular live phone in radio and television programmes. To this effect, four television discussions and the I Care About Her Documentary were aired on Muvi TV during the activism weeks.

The 2015 16 Days Of Activism was particularly remarkable because the First African Girls’ Summit on Ending Child Marriages in Africa was held in Zambia. The summit attracted the support of H.E. President Edgar Lungu, the First Lady Esther Lungu, the Ethiopian and South African First Ladies, governments representatives, Nigerian actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, local and international civil society organisations.

Other activities during the #3000ManMarch included powerful theatrical performances by Zambia Police Nkwazi Theatre Group and poems by the I Care About Her Campaign peer educators from Kamulanga Secondary School with the highlight being the unveiling of the first ever I Care About Her campaign ambassador musician Brian Bwembya aka #BFLow

Accepting the recognition, BFlow said that he is proud to be the campaign ambassador because he wants young people to learn non violent behaviour and his fellow musicians to realise that music has the power to effect positive change. 

To end the event, BFlow took to the stage and performed anti GBV songs from his multiple awarding winning album Voiceless Woman.

Check out the photo album and click on the video to watch the short documentary: