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A group, Lifeline Childline Zambia, says data from the 2021 general elections show a sharp increase in violence targeting women linked directly to electoral activities, with intimidation and harassment—both online and offline—identified as strategic barriers that undermined women’s participation and electoral outcomes.
Its lead official, Florence Nkhuwa, disclosed the findings during the launch of the 933 Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWE) hotline at The Urban Hotel. She said the new system marked a shift in how Zambia protects women’s political participation as the country heads toward the 2026 polls.
Nkhuwa warned that similar patterns of politically motivated gendered violence were already emerging, making the activation of the 933, 116 and 944 hotlines more urgent.
She said the initiative, launched under the theme “Women Deserve Safe Elections,” aims to introduce specialised, data-driven protection for women in the political space.
She noted that in previous election cycles, incidents of violence were often recorded broadly as gender-based violence, limiting the organisation’s ability to track political violence specifically.
“This general classification restricted our capacity to analyse patterns of violence against women in elections,” she said.
Nkhuwa added that the hotline was now integrated with social media platforms, allowing survivors to report cases through Facebook, chat services and WhatsApp.
She expressed gratitude to supporting partners, including the National Democratic Institute, TECH Matters, the Carter Centre, UNICEF and UNFPA under the UN Spotlight Initiative, saying their assistance had enabled the organisation to distinguish VAWE cases in real time and apply disaggregated data to support rapid response and prevention strategies.
Nkhuwa also thanked the government for its commitment to protecting women in the electoral space, citing the involvement of institutions such as the Gender Division, the National Prosecution Authority and the Zambia Human Rights Commission.
She said improved data accuracy and strengthened protection systems would help ensure women can participate in the 2026 elections—whether campaigning, leading or voting—without fear or intimidation.
Nkhuwa said the ultimate goal of the upgraded hotline and data systems was to support a more inclusive and fair democratic process.
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