FAZ PARTNERS WITH YWCA ON ANTI-GBV CAMPAIGN

FAZ PARTNERS WITH YWCA ON ANTI-GBV CAMPAIGN

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has partnered with the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) to help spread awareness on matters around gender based violence.

A team from YWCA led by its national president Patricia Mubanga handed over the orange ribbons to FAZ deputy general secretary John Msimuko as part of the campaign that will be spread across the country.

In welcoming the partnership, Msimuko expressed delight at the initiative by YWCA that sought champion sensitization on gender based violence.

“Football is a national sport, it includes interest from across the spectrum of our country. Most recently, the growth in women’s football has been exponential, not many people expected. It provides the perfect platform to use as a way of spreading awareness,” he said.
“Football can be a tool to benefit society in many things and of course the issue of GBV which is one of the big problems we have as a country can benefit from that.”

Msimuko said FAZ was happy to be the medium through which YWCA could spread awareness on GBV.

“As an association we are happy to play that role, to facilitate that this product that we have, can benefit people beyond the entertainment value that they get to include social and other issues that occur in society,” he said.

He advised YWCA to take interest in the boy child too and men who also suffered abuse but were shy to come out in the open.

“I would like to encourage you that the men are also critical in this. There is a lot of GBV inflicted on men, it does not come out that strongly because of how different we look at things,” he said.
And YWCA acting executive director Kaalu Mubita said the partnership would see orange wrist bands distributed to football clubs as part of the awareness campaign.

Mubita said YWCA would also provide expert services to footballers and their clubs on matters around gender based violence.

“The background of our coming is based on the previous engagement we had with the association around the women’s movement on issues of gender based violence and issues to do with the relationship with the association and see how we can work to curb this vice and provide support based on the skills we have,” she said.

“Today as part of the response to that initial contact was that we would like to come and submit some visibility material which will culminate into the other awareness activities we would like to work with the association.”

She added: “With us today, we would like to present orange wrist bands to the association for distribution to various football teams. We are specifically bias towards the women because as our mandate, YWCA as a member of NGOCC, our focus is on gender equity and equality for women, children and girls. We do work with men but we are more inclined to work with women and girls.”

Mubita said, “We would like to create awareness among our female footballers on issues of gender based violence and also on issues of child protection because we know that football is a game that cuts across all community members. Football players tend to be ambassadors in their own right. They do come from communities where they have a huge following.”

Meanwhile the YWCA president said that they also took interest in matters concerning boys and men.
Copper Queens star Regina Chanda who is on the books of Zanaco Ladies thanked YWCA for their partnership with FAZ.Through this partnership, FAZ will provide access to its clubs and players for sensitization by the YWCA.