Establishing communities free of Gender-Based Violence, child marriages, teen pregnancies and other harmful practices.
Gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV) restrict women and girls’ mobility, access to resources, and limit their decision-making power―all of which impact their ability to act on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Adolescent girls between 10-19 years of age across their intersecting diversities (e.g. married, young mothers, single mothers, girls with disabilities, child and early marriages and GBV survivors) represent the most vulnerable populations related to SRHR outcomes.
Restless Development Zambia implements the Chitetezo Project which is establishing safer and more resilient communities free of practices that harm women and girls. “Chitetezo” is a Chichewa word meaning Safety, Protection and Shield.
The project employs a community youth-led peer-to-peer approach and is being implemented in Eastern, Lusaka and Western Provinces. Using the Youth-led Research methodology, young volunteers lead the project’s efforts in strengthening efforts to end child marriages and work to establish a further understanding of the resulting harmful practices including teenage pregnancies and GBV.
The young volunteers have also designed advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns that target key community stakeholders and structures. The campaigns are delivered through a series of activities including advocacy events, social media campaigns and activities on traditional media channels. The campaign is complemented by capacity-strengthening training of media practitioners including community leaders.
Ending GBV and ensuring young people, especially women are safe is a priority for Restless Development and is reflected in the central objectives of our work. This is because GBV is an infringement on Human Rights.
Restless Development Zambia understands GBV as any harm or suffering that is perpetrated against a woman or girl, man or boy and that has a negative impact on the physical, sexual or psychological health, development or identity of the person. It stems from unequal power relationships within families, and communities and is the most extreme expression of unequal gender relations in society, and a violation of human rights, as well as a main hindrance to the achievement of gender equality.
