CCMG Calls on All Registered Voters in Zambia to Go to the Polls Confident that Citizen Monitors Will Help Safeguard the Vote

10 August 9, 2021

For Immediate Release

The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) as part of its comprehensive monitoring of the entire 2021 elections will deploy over 1,600 monitors and mobile supervisors to every province, district and constituency on Election Day. CCMG’s monitors will arrive at polling stations before they open and remain there vigilantly watching the entire process until voting and counting are finished. Their presence at polling stations will help assure that all Zambians feel confident to freely exercise their fundamental right to vote.

THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON COVID-19 IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

The Technical Committee to work on mainstreaming COVID-19 prevention mechanisms into the 2021 General Election Calendar developed the Standard Operating Procedures against COVID-19 in the Electoral Process following a consultative process.

Membership of the Technical Committee is multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary as follows;

Download the entire ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AGAINST COVID-19 here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/ECZ-COVID-19-GUIDELINES.pdf

Understanding the Credibility and Acceptability of the Voters Register

14th April 2021

1. Preamble

The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has completed its independent analysis of the voter registration numbers released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) in February 2021. CCMG commends the ECZ for releasing the voter registration figures showing the total number of voters registered, disaggregated by province, district and constituency, as well as gender.

CCMG, using the voting age population (VAP) estimates from the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) that were released in December last year1, analysed the 2021 voter registration figures. The VAP is an estimate that shows how many eligible voters are estimated to reside in a given area. The use of VAP estimates to assess the quality of a voters register in terms of how well it reflects a country’s population is a standard practice of election observation groups worldwide. This is done to contribute to the credibility of the register because it determines how representative the register is of those who are eligible to vote.

Download the entire CCMG Statement on Analysis of the Voter Register here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/CCMG-Statement-on-Analysis-of-the-Voters-Register-14th-April-2021.pdf

INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children reflects the contributions of technical experts from all core agencies, and many other partners. Alexander Butchart (WHO) and Susan Hillis (CDC) coordinated and wrote the document, with drafting assistance from Angela Burton, who also edited and proofread the document. Etienne Krug (WHO) provided overall strategic direction.

Download the entire INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/INSPIRE-STRATEGY.pdf

THEME: PUSHING FOR AN AGRICULTURE SECTOR THAT EMBRACES RURAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, FARMER SEED AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND ADDRESSES HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY

1. BACKGROUND

There are two paradigms for agriculture, food, and health, based on two paradigms of knowledge: one being systems-based, the other being self-centred. The first, based on a systems approach, recognises the interrelationships between how we produce, process and distribute our food. It embodies the idea that human beings are not separated from nature, but are part of it and of its complex living processes. This system recognises the self-organising capacity, from cells to our bodies, and planet earth. Planetary health and our health are one health. In this perspective, ecological degradation and disease are seen as an impairment in this capacity of self-organisation, self-regulation, self-healing and renewal of living systems. In the ecological paradigm, agriculture, food production and health are internal inputs into systems, which have an internal capacity and potential to produce what they need. The earth, food and our bodies are interconnected living systems. The second paradigm is mechanistic and reductionist, based on seeing human beings as separate and apart from nature. Nature, food and our bodies are viewed as One Planet One Health. The mechanical worldview is static, non-dynamic, non-interactive, divisive and separating. It insulates itself from a living and lived reality, creates artificial and abstract constructions which are disconnected from reality.

Download the entire 2021 FARMERS MANIFESTO: Pushing for an agriculture sector that embraces rural sustainable development, farmer seed and food sovereignty and addresses household food and nutrition security here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/FARMERS-MANIFESTO-2021.pdf

The Lenten campaign 2021 has officially been launched. Download the entire 2021 Lenten Reflections for Small Christian Community here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/2021-Lenten-Reflections-for-Small-Christian-Community.pdf

“Come and See” (Jn 1:46). Communicating by Encountering People Where and as They Are

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The invitation to “come and see”, which was part of those first moving encounters of Jesus with the disciples, is also the method for all authentic human communication.

The Complete Message in PDF Version here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/homillies/Pope-Francis-message-for-the-2021-World-Communication-Day.pdf

The Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity (ZAAB) calls for good governance and integrity in policy revision processes and raises concern over the Ministry of Higher Education proposed new National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy, December 2020.

ZAAB communique adopted at the 5th December 2020 Annual General Meeting, Blue Crest Lodge, Lusaka

There is no national consensus on GMOs: we maintain the Right to say No to GMOs in our food and agri-culture

We, the members of the Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity, reject the untimely and imbalanced revision of the Zambia Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy (BBP).

SUBMISSION TO THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS, HUMAN RIGHTS, NATIONAL GUIDANCE, GENDER MATTERS AND GOVERNANCE

“THE REVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL FOR ZAMBIA”

1.0. INTRODUCTION

Land in Zambia which, in the past was seen as sacred, spiritual and a basis of identity and a heritage for many of the indigenous societies, throughout the country, is now taken as a commodity that can be transacted for money. As a result, there is fierce competition out there. People holding customary land such as headpersons, some Chiefs and individuals are busy selling it to the highest bidder including foreigners whose status are either unknown or highly questionable. This practice of selling customary land has displaced many people, especially the vulnerable poor villagers who depend on it for their livelihoods. Their inability to defend their land rights against the rich and powerful in the Zambian society today has made them very vulnerable. In a number of cases many of them have become landless and villageless, because their villages have either been sold off or taken over by the expansion of new districts, leading to loss of identity of the displaced people.

Download the entire SUBMISSION TO THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS, HUMAN RIGHTS, NATIONAL GUIDANCE, GENDER MATTERS AND GOVERNANCE here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/Lands-Tribunal-Presentation.pdf

Protocol:

We are excited today as we kick off this year’s Walk to fight inequality in Zambia and indeed in the world during this Global 16 Days Campaign, the longest-running campaign to end violence against women, and all vulnerable people. Am sure that we are all agreed that we need to put a stop to gender-based violence and harassment against each other in Zambia.

This crisis of violence against women, children, persons with disability and now to some great extent men, is a great shame to all of us living in our beloved country Zambia. It goes against our African values and tradition which sometimes we accuse of being the root cause of the vice. We are afraid to own up and realise that the inequality that we have created in our socio-economic and political structures is responsible for the increased violence we see.  We grew up being taught that as men and boys we must respect women and protect children. We were taught to never, raise a finger against women and even in the wars and fights we had with one another in the past, women and children were not killed-Their lives were always spared.