Women continue facing tough times – Canadian High Commissioner

WOMEN and girls around the world still face violence, discrimination and stereotypes that limit their opportunities and keep them from achieving their dreams, says a Canadian envoy.

Speaking at Mtendere Secondary School, Head of Office High Commission of Canada in Lusaka, Amy Galigan, said embassies around Africa were partnering with local organisations to show how girls and women can be leaders.

Ms Galigan said the Zambian government had much to be praised for in their actions to improve access to rights by the women and girls.

She said President Lungu was a global champion to fight and end child marriages in Zambia.

“Young people who are opinionated are the ones who are going to change the world, however, young men also fear to be left behind due to the focus on girls.

“It is infuriating to me that brilliant compassionate girls will grow up in a world where, their voices won’t be heard or taken seriously and be written off simply because of gender,” Ms. Galigan stated.

And Minister of Gender, Victoria Kalima said advancing shared priorities between Zambia and Canada required harnessing the potential of girls and women in the country.

Ms. Kalima said women and girls needed to be empowered in order to be key change makers and full beneficiaries of sustainable development.

She said they had championed the resolution on ending child marriages at both global and regional levels.

Ms. Kalima added that Zambia had since launched the national strategy on ending child marriages whose prime focus was to accelerate national efforts to ending child marriages by 2030.