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President Edgar Lungu has urged leaders to change the way gender issues are addressed
for the country to yield meaningful gains in the gender agenda.
And President Lungu has directed the ministry of Gender and the ministry of National Development planning to constitute a cabinet memorandum within 14 days on gender responsive planning and budgeting so as to integrate gender in the processes.
President Lungu said Zambia has not been bold enough to talk about gender as a core issue for national development and shift the gender story-line from business as usual to a practical approach.
He said the Patriotic Front(PF) government had ushered in a constitutional order to create an enabling environment for equity by incorporating gender equality as a fundamental value in nation building.
The Republican President said this in a speech read on his behalf by Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene at the ‘Presidential Initiative on Advancing Gender equality in Zambia’ leadership training workshop for cabinet and deputy ministers in Siavonga District in Southern Province.
President Lungu said the Gender Equity Commission has been established to enhance mechanisms for monitoring investigating, researching, educating, lobbying, advising and reporting on issues of gender equity and equality.
He advised participants to acknowledge shortcomings in gender attainment and take an informed position thereafter as government had made tangible efforts to build on previous strides to advance gender.
And Gender Minister Nkandu Luo said time had come to look at gender in an abstract form by walking the talk after government had accented the bill on gender equity and equality into law.
Prof.Luo said the now localised law from international statutes necessitates proactive implementation of the amended gender bill.
She said Zambia cannot afford to slacken on its strides to make headways in attaining gender equity and equality because gender is a cornerstone of development.
