CARITAS Zambia PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release

Date: 24th October 2024.

ZAMBIA@60: HONORING OUR HERITAGE, EMBRACING OUR FUTURE THROUGH INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Today, as Zambia celebrates 60 years of independence under the theme “60 Years Strong: Honoring Our Heritage, Embracing Our Future,” Caritas Zambia proudly joins the nation in reflecting on six decades of resilience, unity, and progress. This milestone not only marks our freedom from colonial rule but also serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all Zambians.

At Caritas Zambia, we are deeply committed to advancing integral human development—an approach that recognizes the importance of fostering human dignity, improving livelihoods, and promoting the holistic well-being of individuals and communities. In line with the Independence Day theme, we see this moment as an opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to both honoring our heritage and embracing our future.

Honoring Our Heritage

Our heritage is rich with values that have sustained Zambia’s people for generations: community, compassion, and stewardship of our natural resources. These are the very principles that guide our work in supporting rural communities, promoting agroecological practices, and preserving the cultural and social foundations of our nation.

We pay tribute to the wisdom of our ancestors and their commitment to working together for the common good. Their example reminds us that progress must be measured not just by economic growth but by how we care for one another, ensure equitable opportunities, and respect the environment we all depend on.

Our programmes are designed to empower communities through participatory development, recognizing that the solutions to today’s challenges lie in the resilience and knowledge of our people.

Embracing Our Future

As we look ahead, we must remain committed to shaping a future where every Zambian has the opportunity to thrive. Embracing our future means embracing innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. At Caritas Zambia, we believe that development must be inclusive, ensuring that no one is left behind—whether it is through promoting gender equality, enhancing access to education, or supporting youth empowerment.

Our vision for Zambia’s future is one of sustainable development, where economic advancement goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship. By empowering communities with the skills and resources to adapt to climate change and engage in sustainable agricultural practices, we are contributingto to a Zambia where future generations can live in harmony with the land.

A Call to Action

As we celebrate Zambia’s 60th Independence Day, we urge all citizens, civil society organizations, government leaders, and the private sector to reflect on how we can work together to build a Zambia that reflects our shared aspirations. We invite everyone to join us in creating a future rooted in justice, peace, and dignity for all. Let us honor our rich heritage by safeguarding it for future generations. Let us embrace our future by investing in people and ensuring that the progress we make today benefits every Zambian tomorrow.

Happy 60th Independence Day, Zambia!!

Caritas Executive Director

Fr. Dr. Gabriel Mapulanga

Download the entire signed copy of the Zambia@60: Honoring Our Heritage, Embracing Our Future Through Integral Human Development Press Statement here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Zambia-60-Honoring-Our-Heritage-Embracing-Our-Future-Through-Integral-Human-Development.pdf

CARITAS ZAMBIA’S SUBMISSION TO THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES ON BUDGET ANALYSIS HEAD 86 MINISTRY OF FISHERIES AND LIVESOCK AND HEAD 89 MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

1. Introduction

We would like to recommend the Zambian Government for their tireless effort in ensuring that it provides needed resources to bring about development in the country and improve the welfare of the people of Zambia. The 2025 budget has notably seen an increase in so many sectors and most importantly to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock including Ministry of Agriculture.

Caritas Zambia in this submission will analyse the Financing of the 2025 budget and allocation of funds per Head and its programmes and the implications of such allocation.

Download the entire CARITAS Zambia’s Submission To The Parliamentary Committee On Agriculture, Lands And Natural Resources here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/CARITAS-Submission-to-Parliamentary-Committee-Agriculture-Lands-Natural-Resources.pdf

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Predicated on the national, regional, and international frameworks on disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation and the attendant enabling legal provisions for disaster management and mitigation, this report is based on the study conducted in the Dioceses across the ten (10) provinces to formulate an emergency Preparedness, Response and mitigation Plan, which is a critical tool aimed at guiding the Dioceses in preserving lives, protecting properties and the environment in an emergency.

Recognising the complex intersectionality of societies for which the plan is designed to serve, the study extended its catchment to include children so that the plan will be sensitive and responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable marginalized section of the population especially children, women, and people living with disability. It has been recognised that children and women are the most affected by disasters when they happen. Thus, the plan is envisaged to be a purview for actioning disaster preparedness and response measures for Dioceses in their jurisdictions for levelling up efforts to contribute to reduced vulnerabilities, while enhancing coping capacities and building resilience of exposed and susceptible communities to climatic and disaster risks.

Therefore, this Plan delivers a two-prong disaster management and mitigation strategy to amplify the adverse impacts of disaster and climatic shocks on children and vulnerable groups and provide recommendations on how they can be protected and recover from disaster and climatic shocks and how Dioceses and communities' capacities can be up-scaled in handling complexities and differential impact on communities arising from increased disaster occurrences.

Download the entire Caritas Zambia's Emergency Preparedness, Response and Mitigation (EPRM) Plan here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/Caritas-Zambia-Emergency-Preparedness-Response-and-Mitigation-EPRM-Plan.pdf

Published by Caritas Africa, March 2024.

Download the entire Fraternal Cooperation In The Context Of Localisation And Decolonisation here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/Fraternal-Cooperation-In-The-Context-Of-Localisation-And-Decolonisation.pdf

Published by Caritas Africa, March 2024.

Download the entire Rethinking Humanitarian and Development Assistance in Africa here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/Rethinking-Humanitarian-and-Development-Assistance-in-Africa.pdf

An assessment for the inclusion of agroecology in Zambia's agricultural and agricultural-related policies.

"An agro-ecological approach always becomes a social approach that integrates questions of justice in debates of the environment and hears both the cry of the earth and that of the poor" - Caritas Zambia Policy brief, March 2023.

Download the entire Agroecology – A Sustainable Farming System For Zambian Farmers here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/policy_briefs/Policy-Brief-Agro-ecology.pdf

Download the entire Enhancing Livelihoods and Wellbeing of Vulnerable Families Back-Drops by clicking the image below.

Download the entire Child Protection Pop-Up Banners by clicking the image below.

PREAMBLE

To our public leaders and all people of good will. We greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who calls us to a prophetic responsibility of promoting Justice, Human rights and the common good of the people of God.

Arising from the just ended Caritas (Integral Human Development - IHD) Commission meeting of directors of Caritas from the arch/dioceses of Zambia held at Kapingila House in Lusaka, from 4th to 6th July 2024. And upon our theological reflection on the state of the nation we wish to address ourselves to the pertinent concerns facing us in Zambia.

Download the entire Press Statement by Caritas (Integral Human Development) Commission - "Let Justice Flow" (Amos 5:24) here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Catholic-Commission-For-Integral-Human-Development-Caritas-Press-Statement.pdf

Download the entire Zambia Alternative Mining Indaba - Progress And Achievements 2012 to 2019 by clicking the image below.