Executive Summary
As civil society, we are convinced that the crisis currently engulfing Zambia is not only an economic crisis but also a political and social crisis. Thus, a number of barriers will need to be overcome to put Zambia back on a path to recovery. This paper discusses some of these barriers, specifically those of a cross cutting nature. For the purpose of this presentation we shall focus on HIV/AIDS, gender, employment and sustainable livelihoods, youth and child development, disability issues and the environment. We discuss these issues within the poverty reduction agenda and make some references to the International Development Targets(IDTs) promulgated by the Millennium Declaration to which Zambia is a signatory.
In the first instance, Civil Society contends that poverty reduction is not possible in the absence of human capital formation and this is being seriously threatened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zambia. Given the challenges inherent to containing the spread of HIV/AIDS, development partners should endeavour to ensure that the government has sufficient resources to mount an effective, coordinated response. Overall, Civil society affirms that the nature of the HIV/AIDS pandemic calls for grants from development partners as opposed to loans towards this cause.
With regard to the question of gender, Civil Society observes that in Zambia, as in other parts of the developing world, the benefits of development as well as the consequences of poverty are biased against women. Most government policies are still gender blind. Civil society affirms that gender equity cannot be achieved in the absence of pro-active policies. Thus, government is urged to implement the national gender policy and to take action to meet its commitments under the Beijing Declaration and platform of action , the convention for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the SADC gender and development declaration which all aim at addressing gender discrimination in politics, employment, the economy, social services, culture etc.
The Human development Report 1996 of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) describes employment as the main bridge between economic growth and opportunities for human development. Civil Society, therefore, affirms that one fundamental task of the poverty reduction strategy paper should be to create and sustain high rates of productive employment. Overall, however, civil society affirms the need for government to design and implement a national employment and labour market policy, along with resuscitating the minimum wage on the basis of a poverty datum line.
On youth and child development, Civil Society contends that the rampant child poverty in Zambia is the cruellest and most devastating form of deprivation. Civil society calls government to review the outdated national youth action plan and establish a national coordinating body for orphans and vulnerable children.
With respect to disability issues, Civil Society observes that the poverty situation among the disabled in Zambia is particularly pronounced. Development partners can therefore usefully focus their assistance by proactively participating in the development of disability human right issues, programmes and policies. Besides, we believe that by considering total cancellation of Zambia’s debt this will free resources that could be directed towards reducing poverty reduction among persons with disabilities.Overall, civil society urges government to ensure that each Ministry has a disability sector that should receive direct funding meant for poverty reduction programmes to benefit persons with disabilities. Civil society has also urged for capacity building for environmental policy development and analysis, as well as involvement of essential capacitates within communities.
In conclusion, Civil society reiterates the need to prioritise: Implementation of the National Gender Policy; design and implementation of a national employment policy; revision of the National Youth Action Plan and establishment of an institutional framework to co-ordinate youth and child development concerns and Capacity Building for community involvement in sustainable development strategies
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