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The Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has raised concern over Zambia’s constituency-based electoral system, warning that it continues to be governed by provisions that entrench stark gender imbalances at all levels of representation.
NGOCC Board Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, said the concern comes as preparations intensify for the August 13, 2026 General Elections, which will be conducted under new electoral laws introduced by the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2025.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Saturday, Katebe expressed hope that the ongoing reforms to the Political Parties Act and the Electoral Process Act would introduce quotas for constituency seats to secure equitable gender representation.
Reflecting on developments in 2025, Katebe said that despite a generally stable democratic environment, Zambia continued to face complex economic, social and political challenges.
On the Public Order Act (POA), Katebe described the failure to reform the law as one of the major shortcomings under the UPND-led government in 2025.
“Despite clear calls for change, this outdated law continues to impinge upon citizens’ freedoms,” she said.
Katebe added that government engagement on the issue had amounted to little more than token gestures, yielding no substantive outcomes.
She stressed that the POA must be overhauled to prevent arbitrary enforcement and to align with Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) judgments, curtailing executive overreach.
On constitutional reforms, Katebe said NGOCC has consistently urged the UPND government, since assuming office in 2021, to honour its commitment to comprehensive constitutional reform.
“A critical goal of this reform is to address the historic underrepresentation of women at all levels of governance,” she said.
Katebe further revealed that NGOCC had advocated for a national referendum to entrench an expanded Bill of Rights that safeguards socioeconomic rights for all citizens.
She noted that while 2025 presented an opportunity to advance these long-standing demands, the government’s approach to constitutional amendments instead generated divisive debate.
“Our position remains rooted in lessons learned from past processes, where constitutional reforms dominated by executive interests lacked public trust and inclusiveness.
We believe that the quality of constitutional outcomes is intrinsically tied to the legitimacy of the process,” Katebe said.
Turning to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Katebe said Zambia remained a difficult environment for women and girls, with an average of about 10,500 cases recorded per quarter in 2024, and 2025 already averaging approximately 10,400 cases over the last three quarters.
She warned that the persistent prevalence of GBV continued to endanger the health and safety of women and girls nationwide.
“Data from the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit reveal a persistent increase in GBV cases, which have serious health and social consequences,” Katebe stated.
She disclosed that during the third quarter of 2025, women and girls accounted for about 79 percent of GBV victims, with total cases rising to 31,246, up from 29,800 cases reported during the same period in 2024.
While acknowledging recent government efforts, Katebe said the response remained inadequate.
“We acknowledge recent efforts to address this crisis, such as amendments to the Anti-GBV Act and the classification of grave sexual offences as non-bailable. However, more needs to be done,” she said.
Katebe noted that comprehensive GBV management, including accessible counselling services and secure shelters for survivors, remains insufficient, while resources allocated to interventions — including the Anti-GBV Fund — continued to fall short of what is required to effectively combat the crisis.
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