BACKGROUND
Mbala
lies between latitudes 8 and 18 degrees south and longitudes 22 and 33 degree
east. Like the rest of Zambia Mbala´s climate is tropical in nature though the
temperature is greatly moderated by altitude, the seasons of Mbala are:
a)
Winter
April – August
b)
Summer
August – November
c)
Autumn November – April
In terms of
average temperatures the range is from a mean monthly minimum of 10 degrees
centigrade in June an July to a mean montghly maximum
of 30 degrees centigrade in October and November on average it receives 1.500
mm of rain.
Statistics
show that Mbala has a population of 161.533 according
to census population and housing. Women
account for 52 % of the total percent of the District.
Rural
population in 58 % = 142.149
Urban
population is 12 % = 19.384
Mbala
District has 13122 sq kilometres with a population density of 12 people per sq kolometer.
1. WOMEN PARTICIPATION AND EMPOWEREMENT
IN LOCAL DEMOCRACY
At political or decision making level for example the two Members of Parliament
are both men. At local government level
all 16 councillors are men. There are no
women elected as councillor to afford women a chance to be involved in local
democracy despite statistics showing that they are account for over 65 % of
voters. This therefore leaves out women
in decision-making process in the district development. The problem is attributed to lack of
awareness of their civic rights and responsibilities. Added to which is the subordinate position of
women in relation to men enshrined in the raditional
beliefs and practices. It is important
therefore to embark on gender, civic and voter awareness campaigns so as
energise women and men to help change the negative image of women and liberate
them traditional vat that keeps them down.
2.
EMBLA/Mbala
is organised in the following manner:
Chairperson,
Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Vice Secretary, Publicity information Secretary,
Vice
Publicity information Secretary, Treasurer, 4 Comitte
Members, 6 outreach clubs.
As
documented in 2000 census. The increase
in the male literacy levels for male working age population was 427 percent as
compared to only 20 percent to female working age population.
One contribution factor is low level of education and high illiteracy among women. Further more women by traditional have limited access to household property and other communal resourses are limited. Women´s right to own land that is a major fator in production at grassroot level and requirement for one to access credit. The result is abject poverty as women are a traditionally producers of more than 65 % food consumed at household level.
3. WOMEN
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Whereas the
position of women in the world over smacks of varying degrees of
marginalisation, the situation for women and girl children is in Mbala aggravated by the two fold vultural
practices the twin aspects of poverty and ignorance. You have women and girl children in a
cultural fiery furnace religiously Clang to by men in the selfish but mistake belif of both perpetuation an
promotion of their culture.
Women have
no say over the number of children that they bear so long as the woman is
productive she continues bearing children, a barren woman rarely remains in
marriage let alone those that are only able deliver through a caesarean secton. The life
expectance of a woman is usually very short 35 years to 49 years.
Polygamy in
Mbala is ona old cultural
practice, which has been passed from generation to generation from thetime the Mambwe people settled
in the area. Almost over three centuries
ago it is common to find a man having three wives and a lot of children. The perpetuation of polygamy is on the basis
of labour, need for children, measures of success, inheritance and enchancement of relationships beween
laws. A woman is
disadvantaged and promote the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic which leaves a
lot of children as single or double orphants within a
big number of children living with AIDS.
HIV/AIDS is
also another serious heavy load for a woman who has no choice her life and that
of her children. Piracy and war is
surrounding the poor with a very short life to live and abandoning her poor shildren to look after themselves.
4.
CREATION OF SOLIDARITY AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TWO CULUTRES
As Zambians
we have a lot of good customs as opposed to a number of bad and oppression
traditions, which as EMBLA/Mbala we would want share
with EMBLA/Norway in exchange with their cultures and
tradition.
A Zambian woman is engraved in a serious web of oppression an illiteracy while cultures and traditions demand female dependence on men. So long a man is amongst children and women he feeles he is the blessed one, the only capable leader and never a woman.
Foto: Hilde/Sogn og Fjordane 4H 2002