Report

A delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) visited Tanzania and Zambia from August 20 to 30, 2017. Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, MP, Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, led the delegation, which was composed of the Hon. Jean-Guy Dagenais, Senator, Mr. Kerry Diotte, MP, and Ms. Deborah Schulte, MP. The delegation was assisted by Mr. Rémi Bourgault, Secretary of the Canadian Branch.

The CPA constitution encourages visits between member countries with the objective of giving parliamentarians the opportunity to discuss matters of common interest in bilateral relations as well as issues related to the Commonwealth body as a whole. The objective of this visit to Tanzania and Zambia was to strengthen ties with our Commonwealth partners in Africa and share ideas of mutual interest. As well, Tanzania has been the largest recipient in Africa of the Canadian government’s international development aid on maternal and child care. According to world population growth statistics, Africa has the fastest growing population and by 2030 will have a quarter of the world’s young population.

On this bilateral visit, a number of subjects were discussed, including the state of parliamentary democracy vis-a-vis Westminster practices, social justice issues, freedom of press, gender issues and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) in terms of reducing poverty, gender violence, health and access to education.

A. Visit to the United Republic of Tanzania

Formed in 1964 through a merger of mainland Tanganyika and the archipelago of Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania is one of the few countries in Africa that has enjoyed peaceful political development and stability since its independence. Tanzania is a presidential republic, and the National Assembly is located in Dodoma.

Tanzania is located in the Great Lakes region of East Africa and neighbours Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, and Zambia.

On October 25, 2015, Tanzania held its fifth presidential and legislative elections, and John Magufuli of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party won 58% of the vote, extending the ruling party’s reign, which has been uninterrupted since 1961. The elections were vigorously contested and saw the ruling party face a coalition of the largest opposition parties (UKAWA) fielding a single presidential candidate. While the CCM’s support was down, it still secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority. Observation missions declared that the elections had been largely peaceful and well conducted.

The Canada–Tanzania bilateral relationship is anchored in a substantial development program and maturing commercial links. Tanzania is one of the largest recipients of Canadian development assistance worldwide. The two countries often collaborate in international fora such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth on shared issues such as climate change, sustainable development, refugees, and the resolution of the political impasse in Burundi.

Trade levels between Canada and Tanzania are very modest (Tanzania is Canada’s 79th largest export market; Canada is Tanzania’s 118th largest export market). In 2016, Canada’s merchandise exports to Tanzania were $86.1 million, and imports from Tanzania were $13.7 million. Two-way merchandise trade has followed an increasing trend over the past 10 years, although subject to fluctuations. Trade figures were recently boosted by the 2016 sale of two Bombardier Q400 aircraft to the Government of Tanzania for use by the national airline. A bilateral Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) came into force in December 2013.

Meetings in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Meeting with advocates on human rights and governance and state of civil society

At this meeting, a number of topics were discussed, including the erosion of human rights, lack of freedom of association and speech, curtailing of freedom of press including social media. We heard from human rights advocates that the current Tanzanian government does not take kindly to criticism of any kind; journalists have been jailed and newspapers shut down. The government does not renew licence of any media channel that criticizes them and has advised all newspapers that their licences will not be renewed if they have any foreign ownership. The government monitors social media as well as cell phones which are the only means of communication. A social media guru who has a huge following in Tanzania, told us of his experience with both the minster and the police. He has been constantly harassed, intimidated and jailed numerous times, but he still persists because he believes in freedom of speech and is not comfortable with the direction this government is taking.

Other issues that were addressed included violence against women, which in a traditional/tribal society has not yet been fully addressed. One issue that had the delegation concerned was the plight of girls’ who became pregnant during their school term. The President has an edict that girls who get pregnant while in school will not be allowed to return to school. This is contrary to Canada’s investments and commitments to increase education for women and girls. The plight of people with Albinism was discussed and it was disturbing to note the government’s lack of protection for this group. A few years ago, a former journalist exposed the secret persecution faced by people with albinism in Tanzania, primarily driven by traditional beliefs spread by witch doctors that the body parts of people with albinism have healing powers. People with albinism are not safe alive or dead, as their graves are sometimes dug up. Through this advocacy work, public awareness of the plight of people with albinism was growing. However, the government did not like the negative publicity and threatened to shut down these organizations. The delegation was told that, according to a 2010 survey, more than half of Tanzanians believe in witch doctors’ remedies. Curiously, the ban on witch doctors was lifted one month before the last election. The delegation was also told that LGBTQ is a contentious political issue.

The delegates heard about the lack of oversight on the police, the lack of independence of the judiciary and the desire of the President to make Tanzania a police state. The representatives said that, two weeks before the delegation’s visit to Tanzania, 10 people were killed by police. Reportedly, there had been a debate about creating a police body to monitor the police, but the idea had not been accepted.

Meeting with representatives of the opposition

The delegation had a chance to meet more than once with representatives from the main opposition parties, including the whip of the opposition, opposition leader and some other MPs. The opposition members advised us that their second home was jail, as the President was using threats and intimidation tactics to ensure the demise of any legitimate opposition. In their opinion, Tanzania’s Parliament adheres to the Commonwealth model in form, but less so in function. For example, the President has absolute power over the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. Committees that create legislation are restricted in the number of times they meet due to their budgets being cut. The bills that they study are controlled by the President. Ministers have to abide by the President’s edicts and have no independence. Ministers who wish to resign have been threatened; Bills are rubber stamped without much debate. Parliament sits for 167 days, including committee weeks; this curtails any comprehensive review of legislation.

The delegates learned that even though the last chief justice retired months ago, President Magufuli had not appointed a permanent chief justice; in fact, the interim chief justice has no powers. The opposition members said that the country does not respect the rule of law and it was trumping up charges against any opposition by accusing them of money laundering. Under Tanzanian law, a person accused of money laundering cannot be released on bail and can languish in prison for years without a day in court. The delegates were led to believe that the current president of Tanzania disregards due process, the judiciary and the Constitution. In a speech to a lawyers’ group, President Magufuli accused the lawyers of defending thieves.

The discussion moved on to Tanzania’s economy. The mining industry employs more than 100,000 people. According to the opposition members, President Magufuli’s generally socialist inclinations make him wary of the private sector. These parliamentarians have concerns about the fate of Tanzania as the country relies heavily on foreign investments especially in the mining sector. It was brought to our attention that one of the mining companies was asked to pay 1,000 times its capitalization. This was calculated by an executive committee appointed by the President; the process was not transparent as no one has seen the methodology used for calculating this exorbitant fine. The mining company in question has taken the issue to the international arbitration and it appears that Tanzania will lose. The parliamentarians feel this move towards nationalization and foreign investor harassment, will lead to disastrous economic consequences. Even the father of the Nation, President Julius Nyrere, had admitted to the errors of his economic policies. The concern of these parliamentarians is real as under this climate, both foreign and local investors will leave Tanzania.

The opposition members claimed that Parliament is not functioning, as the President is able to pass legislation through non-parliamentary means. For example it was learned that with a particularly difficult bill, MP’s from the ruling party were given monetary incentives to pass legislation in the National Assembly. The money came from the Secretary General of the ruling party. According to the opposition members, President Magufuli came in on the basis of cleaning up corruption and in the first year of power, he did ensure that the bureaucracy was functioning efficiently. Since then, however, he is practicing nepotism and tribalism. Tanzania has never dwelled into tribalism and this is a dangerous step. As well, the edict from the President is to curtail any criticism and the delegation heard how one very critical journalist, who was challenging the President on the “Bombardier” issue has disappeared. The delegation also heard that the media was being harassed if it did not meet the “friendly” lenses and newspapers and stations were either closed down or their licences not renewed. The opposition members are concerned at this very foreign approach to governing.

The opposition members said it is important that Tanzania remain a multi-party nation. Some of the opposition members fear for their safety and the safety of their families. They asked the Chair of the Canadian delegation to assist them. In that regard, the Chair sent a letter to Baroness Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, outlining the observations of the delegation as well as the insights gained from civil society and the opposition members.

Meeting with Ismail Jussa, MP for the constituency of Stone Town in the House of Representatives, Civic United Front (CUF) party

The purpose of the meeting was to hear the opposition’s perspective on Zanzibar. The semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar has its own regional president and its own parliamentary structure. The October 2015 election in Zanzibar was controversially cancelled by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission after fraud was alleged by its chairman, a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. No evidence of irregularity was presented and even the international observers were shocked. In protest, the CUF boycotted the re-run election organized in March 2016, allowing the CCM to sweep to victory with 90% of the vote. It should be noted that with the exception of Japan, no other diplomat has visited or was present at the inauguration of the President of Zanzibar.

Mr. Jussa gave an overview of Zanzibar’s history up to the most recent election controversy of October 2015. He said that, even though his party won the last five elections fairly they have never held the reins of power. The people of Zanzibar are beginning to doubt the validity of the elections, given that the results are ignored. Mr. Jussa is concerned about the undercurrent of agitation taking place in Zanzibar and reminded us that history of the sixties could repeat itself.

Meeting with the Honourable Tulia Ackson, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly

Ms. Ackson described the characteristics of her position and of Parliament. She is the second woman to hold the position of Deputy Speaker. Before being appointed, she had never sat in Parliament. She explained that Tanzania’s National Assembly has five categories of members: elected member, member appointed by the Tanzanian President, member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, woman member (30% under the Constitution) and the Attorney General. Ms. Ackson herself was appointed by the President.

Tanzania’s National Assembly has 392 members. The roles of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are set out in the Constitution. The Speaker does not have to be an elected member, but the Deputy Speaker does. The Canadian delegation had a frank and open discussion with her, regarding allegations from the opposition. She stated that she had not seen the police enter the chambers to take away members of the opposition and she has never asked the police to come into the chambers. She advised us that Tanzania follows the same Standing Orders as the Westminster, which state that a senior officer of the Assembly can expel a member from the House, the task being carried out by the sergeant at arms. The Speaker once had to ask the sergeant at arms to remove a member because the police are not authorized to do so. During the meeting, Ms. Ackson noted that parliamentarians are neither allowed to hold rallies in their constituency nor allowed to invite other members of their own party; this the Canadian delegation informed her was against democracy as practiced by the Westminster model.

In closing, Ms. Ackson mentioned that the live broadcast of parliamentary debates had ended because it was not being run by Parliament. Parliament is now taking responsibility for providing coverage. There will be a broadcast delay, so the coverage will no longer be live. There was disagreement as to the reasons the broadcast was not going to be live – the opposition felt was censorship, as the government would edit any of its missteps before releasing it to the public.

Meeting with the Honourable Raphael Chegeni, Chairperson of the Tanzania Branch of the CPA

The Chairperson of the CPA Tanzania Branch, accompanied by several parliamentarians, wanted to highlight the long-standing relationship between Canada and Tanzania and said he wished the delegation could stay in Tanzania even longer. He talked about the 390-member composition of Parliament and where the members come from. Many of the members are newcomers, which is a challenge when it comes to institutional memory. Mr. Chegeni said that it is important for Commonwealth partners to work together and share ideas. Ms. Ratansi said that the conference held every year by the CPA Canadian Branch provides an opportunity to share Canada’s experiences.

In answer to a question about female representation, Mr. Chegeni said that the goal is to ensure that 50% of seats in Parliament are held by women. During the meeting, the delegates learned that Tanzania uses a quota system for women members. About 25 were elected directly, and a further 114 were appointed through the quota system. Representation stands at about 26%. Since women face intimidation and wield less economic power, it can be hard for them to participate in elections. Women make up 52% of the country’s population. In an ideal world, women would vote for women, but that is not always the case.

There was a lively discussion between the Canadian delegation and representative of the Tanzanian parliament including members of the opposition. In order for the Tanzanians to understand how Canada deals with the opposition, the Chair pointed out the composition of the Canadian delegation, which included representative from the House and the Senate. Discussion moved to the jailing of the chief opposition whip; the Tanzanian MP’s had varying opinions, most of them were uncomfortable with the government’s approach to opposition and the direction their government was taking. They expressed their frustrations at the inability to communicate their messages without getting into trouble. They were reminded that even though CCMP had been in power since independence things could change and a police state is not the route Tanzania should go towards. Ms. Ratansi suggested that for them to understand Westminster processes (as most were new), they should arrange for sessions between Tanzanian parliamentarians and the CPA HQ.

Meeting with the Honourable Margaret Sitta, Chairperson of the Tanzania Women’s Parliamentary Group

The Chairperson of the women’s group was pleased to meet the delegation, which was made up of male and female parliamentarians. She said that the members of her group work very hard and fulfill their duties enthusiastically. She feels it is important to maintain the number of women in Parliament, particularly through training, and to increase women’s representation at all levels.

The members of the delegation explained how the Canadian system operates, including political party funding, recruitment of candidates, and the participation of civil society organizations like Equal Voice. To help female parliamentarians in Tanzania, Ms. Ratansi suggested contacting the representative of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Region, which has access to funding from the CPA Secretariat.

Meeting with the Honourable Stanslaus Nyongo, Chairperson of the Industries, Trade and Environment Committee

The chairperson of the committee was accompanied by two other members. He stated that the current president was keen to move towards industrialization. The committee is promoting the agenda but there are many barriers, including lack of sustainable electricity as well as infrastructure. Currently, 60% of the country is electrified, but there are problems with supply and availability, due to excessive regulatory and fiscal burden. Mr. Nyongo cited the cotton industry as a good example for manufacturing. Tanzania exports 70% of its cotton and ends up importing clothes, which could easily be manufactured in Tanzania with proper incentives. This would give an economic boost to the country. Mr. Nyongo’s committee sits for two weeks before the session begins. If funds are lacking, it may sit for only one week. Financial constraints can impede the committee’s work, particularly when it needs to travel and hold public consultations. The committee members have studied a variety of problems with the country including its infrastructure projects.

Meeting with the Honourable Peter Joseph Serukamba, Chairperson of the Social Development and Services Committee

The chairperson discussed various national issues, such as the shortage of resources in the education sector. Schooling is free, but there is a short supply of qualified teachers and books have to be purchased, which creates a burden for the poorer segment of the population. Projects have been launched over the past five years to recruit thousands of additional teachers but the challenge still remains, that of children leaving their rural communities to board in the urban or semi urban centres where the schools are. The chairperson stated that they have not been able to travel to these communities due to lack of budget.

Meetings in Dodoma, Tanzania

Meeting with the Honourable Amb. Adadi Mohamed Rajabu, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Committee; the Honourable Doto Mashaka Biteko, Chairperson of the Energy and Mines Committee; and Thomas D. Kashililah, Clerk of the National Assembly and CPA Regional Secretary for Africa

Ms. Ratansi opened the meeting by remarking that the time is ripe for Canada to reconnect with Africa. The meeting covered a variety of topics, including the environment and energy, security issues, and ways for Canadian companies to contribute to the development of the oil and gas industry.

The Hon. Mr. Rajadu talked about the friendly relations between Canada and Tanzania. Speaking on defence and security, he discussed recent developments with regard to the refugees from Burundi and Rwanda that Tanzania has been sheltering for several years. There was some controversy recently, when President Magufuli stated that Burundi refugees should return home as Burundi was safe. In terms of defence and its contribution to peace and stability in the region, Tanzania has problems with equipment and training.

On the subject of natural resources, the Hon. Mr. Biteko said Tanzania is working to increase its electricity generation capacity with hydropower and geothermal projects. Power purchase agreements were a challenge in the energy sector. The government is trying to minimize their use. A major rural electrification project is under way, as Tanzania hopes to electrify all villages by 2025. Tanzania is rich in mineral deposits and wants to process more of its natural resources on its own territory in order to benefit its people. Thanks to technological advances and worker training, the country is less reliant on foreign workers than in the past. The delegates noted that it is important to learn from others’ mistakes and to make sound investments that are good for the environment and for Tanzanians.

The two chairpersons mentioned that committees are free to determine subject matters to study and have ample independence. The committees use this independence to question the government. Their committees normally sit for two weeks before the start of the session, but must seek approval from the Speaker should they want to do additional consultation or travel due to budget constraints

Visit to the Aga Khan University – AKU Institute of Educational Development, East Africa (AKU-IED-EA) and the AKU School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM)

The delegation attended a briefing on current programs and projects being carried out at the Aga Khan University, including a project funded by the Government of Canada entitled Strengthening Education Systems in East Africa, and on SONAM’s role in another project, also funded by the Government of Canada, entitled Improving Maternal and Newborn Health in Mwanza, Tanzania (IMPACT).

The AKU Institute of Educational Development, East Africa (AKU-IED-EA) was founded in 2005 to improve the quality of education in East African countries. It offers one-year master’s programs in a variety of specialties, including teacher training and early childhood education. In Tanzania, about 100 students enrolled in master’s programs from 2007 to 2016.

The AKU School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) runs AKU nursing science and midwifery programs across East Africa. These programs are offered by a global, independent, non-profit university seeking to enhance human resources and leadership capabilities in developing countries. SONAM hopes to set the standard for training clinically competent, critically thinking nurses and midwives who can positively impact the health outcomes of their patients, their families and their community and lead health system improvements and innovations. AKU-SONAM has three campuses: one in Nairobi, Kenya; one in Kampala, Uganda; and one in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Visit to the Aga Khan Hospital

The delegates attended a briefing on the Aga Khan Hospital’s plan to upgrade the quality of health services by expanding the hospital and outreach centres and strengthening the public health care system as part of a project funded by the Government of Canada, entitled Improving Maternal and Newborn Child Health in Mwanza (IMPACT). The hospital expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018, will require more than 700 additional employees and increase the bed capacity from 74 to 170 at a cost of over US$80 million. The hospital also offers continuing education programs on current and emerging health issues for physicians from across the country.

Visit to Bunju to meet with members of the WAWABU Women’s Group

The WAWABU Women’s Group is an organization for women entrepreneurs that is located in Bunju, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Founded in 2008, WAWABU is made up of 13 groups and has a total of 147 members.

WAWABU’s member groups make soap and batik, process foods, record poetry, provide tailoring services, weave baskets, and craft decorative objects to earn additional income, which goes to support vulnerable families and children in their community. The products made by WAWABU are sold in Dar es Salaam and in other parts of Tanzania.

Through the Dar Urban regional program, World Vision Tanzania builds the group’s capacity with courses on management, leadership, financial administration, and entrepreneurship. World Vision also helps the group connect with other entrepreneurs at various events (international trade shows, agricultural fairs, Women’s Day), giving the group an opportunity to explore markets and learn best practices from other entrepreneurs.

Acknowledgments

At a reception organized by the High Commission, the delegates were able to meet informally with representatives of several Canadian companies. In conclusion, the delegation would like to thank High Commissioner Ian Myles and the dedicated staff of the High Commission of Canada in Dar es Salaam for a very thorough program and a successful visit.

B. Visit to Zambia

A former British colony (Northern Rhodesia) that obtained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, Zambia is a landlocked country in southeast Africa with a population of over 15 million.

A single-party state from 1972 to 1991, Zambia has evolved into a politically stable democracy, having held six general elections and two presidential elections since 1991. It has had two peaceful transitions of power, in 1991 and in 2011.

Zambia’s peaceful political tradition has suffered a number of setbacks since the election of President Sata in 2011. Following Mr. Sata’s death in office in 2014, the Minister of Defence, Edgar Lungu, was adopted as the candidate of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) for the January 2015 presidential by-election. He narrowly defeated opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema (United Party for National Development) and took office on January 25, 2015.

Mr. Lungu was elected to a full presidential term in the August 2015 election, again narrowly defeating Mr. Hichilema. Mr. Hichilema disputed the election result and filed a case at the Constitutional Court to nullify the result. In September 2016, however, the court ruled that the timeframe allowed for the case to be heard had expired, but did not rule on the merits.

Zambia has a unicameral National Assembly consisting of 164 seats: 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 8 appointed by the president. Members serve five-year terms, and 53% of the seats in the current Parliament are held by the ruling Patriotic Front. The United Party for National Development holds 35%.

The Zambian economy grew by about 3% in 2015. Canada has a modest trade relationship with Zambia. In 2015, the country was Canada’s 99th export destination in the world. That same year, it ranked 139th among Canada’s sources of imports. In 2016, two-way merchandise trade totalled US$20 million. Canada is the single largest foreign investor in Zambia’s mining sector.

Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) has been one of the strongest areas of cooperation between Zambia and Canada over the last number of years.

Meetings in Lusaka, Zambia

Meeting with the Right Honourable Justice Patrick Matibini, Speaker of the National Assembly and President of the CPA Zambia Branch, and the Honourable Elizabeth Phiri, Vice-President of the CPA Zambia Branch

Speaker Matibini was appointed by the President to his position as Speaker. He was previously a Judge in the High Court of Zambia. He gave a brief overview of the composition of the National Assembly. It is a unicameral Parliament consisting of 156 elected members and 8 members appointed by the President. Under the Constitution, the Second Deputy Speaker must be a woman. The members of the CPA Zambia Branch pay annual membership dues. The CPA executive committee consists of five members, and most activities involve attending regional or international meetings. Parliament organized a post-election conference in partnership with the CPA Secretariat. Speaker Matibini noted that more than 60% of the members who had been elected were newcomers and need proper training.

The delegates asked the Speaker about the grounds for suspending members who miss the President’s speech as well as the Standing Orders that allow this practice. The response from the Speaker was diplomatic; however, the Deputy Speaker was adamant that the opposition members should “obey” the President. This the delegation found a little perturbing and challenged her assumptions about the role of the opposition.

In the area of election financing, Speaker Matibini mentioned that the law on political financing is obsolete and needs to be updated. This is problematic as one has to be extremely wealthy to come to power and some Zambian’s feel that once the MP’s and President are elected, they do not work for the people but strip the treasury dry.

In order to ensure that the Westminster model and commonwealth practices are used effectively, all participants agreed that more frequent dialogue between Commonwealth partners is advisable.

Meeting with General Kingsley Chinkuli, First Quantum Minerals Country Manager for Zambia

First Quantum Minerals is the number one copper producer in Zambia, with the largest copper mine in Africa by production. General Chinkuli said it is also the country’s largest taxpayer. The company has invested more than $5 billion in Zambia. First Quantum Minerals employs over 8,000 workers in Zambia. It would like to extend the life of its mine by building a second smelter to process ore from its mines. General Chinkuli said the mining industry has changed significantly: technology is now widespread, and worker training is essential.

First Quantum’s mining operations consume a great deal of electricity. The company will be building a 600 km, $200 million power line to supply its facilities. The construction project should contribute to the electrification of villages in the area. General Chinkuli said that mining has a major economic impact in Zambia and that the cost of energy is an important factor in profitability. He concluded by saying that the company is well equipped to meet the many challenges it will face in the coming years.

Visit to LifeLine/ChildLine Zambia

LifeLine/ChildLine Zambia was established in 2003 with the sole objective of providing telephone counselling and guidance services to distressed and abused persons in need of care and protection. Telephone counselling is done through two toll-free public numbers: ChildLine and a gender-based violence helpline. The helplines were established with major support from the Government of the Republic of Zambia through the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), the regulatory body that oversees information and communication technology (ICT). The service is provided countrywide, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Through its three mobile networks, it provides completely anonymous and confidential advice and guidance to callers seeking assistance. Over the years, the organization has gained vast experience with convergent systems using multi-channel platforms (web chat, SMS and voice calls). LifeLine/ChildLine plans to invest in research in order to expand ICT services to urban, suburban and rural populations.

Thanks to the organization’s professionalism and methodology, Zambians have responded positively to the services provided by the call centre. In 2016, the number of people accessing its services increased markedly. Call volumes increased tremendously, with daily averages of

• 750 to 1,000 calls to ChildLine;
• 150 to 200 SMS messages; and
• 500 to 900 calls to the gender-based violence helpline.

The organization expects an even greater increase by the end of 2017.

Statistics show that most calls are about child marriage, child sexual abuse, bullying and cyber-bullying, violence against women, HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, emotional or physical abuse, suicide, maternal health, social problems, child abuse, addiction, etc.

In 2016, the organization received funding from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives for a project entitled Support to Hotline and Sensitization on GBV Project, which involved delivering information and outreach programs to residents of rural and urban areas in order to provide immediate assistance to children and women affected by violence. The project targeted children, adolescents and adults in Choma, Southern Province, Zambia.

The organization recently signed a new contract with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, this time for a project entitled Promoting Gender, Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls. Based in Livingstone, the project will seek to prevent violence against women and child or forced marriages.

Meeting with representatives of Women and Law in Southern Africa – Zambia

The delegation met with representatives of Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA-Zambia) to learn about laws concerning gender-based violence and child marriage in Zambia.

WLSA-Zambia is a non-governmental human rights organization whose main objective is the advancement of legislation pertaining to the rights of women and children. The group is currently working on six projects and operates in 23 districts in Zambia. WLSA’s mission is to defend judicial reform, provide legal advice and representation, educate the community on the law and human rights, build capacity in legal institutions, and forge partnerships with key stakeholders in the fight for the rights of women and children.

On the issue of gender equality, WLSA has implemented a women’s empowerment project aimed at closing the gap between men and women. This project involves raising awareness of the Gender Equity and Equality Act. To guarantee access to justice for women and children in Zambia, WLSA set up legal clinics at the local court in Chingola and at the prison in Choma. WLSA also carried out a project to strengthen support networks for girls at risk of child marriage. WLSA advocates criminalizing child marriage.

Meeting with the Honourable Gary G. Nkombo, MP, member of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Energy and Labour, and chief whip for the UNDP

Mr. Nkombo told the delegates about the events that led to the suspension of several members of his party for being absent during the President’s speech. Speaking on the economy, he said that Zambia has long been dependent on revenue from mining. However, it is important to diversify the economy to prepare for the possible depletion of the country’s resources. The significant investments that Zambia has made in agricultural subsidies have had little effect on yields. The country has tried to mechanize agricultural production in an effort to increase yields. Mr. Nkombo talked about the projects aimed at upgrading Zambia’s electricity generation capacity, which should help growing industries.

Meeting with the Honourable Lazarous Chungu, Chairperson of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs

Mr. Chungu was first elected in 2011 and was re-elected in 2016. He said the members of his committee are appointed by the Standing Orders Committee, which is chaired by the Speaker. His committee consists of 10 MPs. Normally, MPs sit for a five-year term. The committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are elected at the first meeting. The committee has a wide-ranging remit. It has the authority to examine the activities of several ministries, such as the Ministry of Justice, and to study government reports and make recommendations to the government. Each ministry is required to produce an annual report. The committee is also tasked with studying international agreements, since Parliament must approve international agreements and treaties, as well as the new Constitution. The committee can study these documents and make recommendations. Depending on the topic, it can also hold public hearings and travel around the country. Speaking on the subject of Zambia’s ranking on the corruption index, Mr. Chungu said he is a member of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and that corruption is a scourge that must be eliminated. The delegates then discussed various subjects, including the last election dispute, press freedom, homosexuality, and transgender people.

Meeting with Ms. Sylvi Hill and Mr. Rick Olsen, UNICEF – Ending Child Marriage Project

Zambia acknowledges that CEFM is a very serious issue. It is taking proactive measures to put an end to CEFM in collaboration with international partners, including Canada. UNICEF is helping the government make condoms more accessible. However, there is a perception that promoting condom use is tantamount to promoting promiscuity. According to statistics from 2014, 35.6% of women aged 19 and over are married, and 58.9% have started having children (are pregnant and/or have had a live birth).

A qualitative study on child marriage in six districts in different provinces was conducted in 2015. The study gave a voice to children, parents and other community members. The results were used in the development of the National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage in Zambia 2016-2021. The National Strategy was launched in April 2016 with the goal of reducing child marriage by 40% by 2021. One of its strategic objectives is to facilitate positive change in prevailing attitudes, behaviours, beliefs and practices in order to reduce the incidence of child marriage. Consultations were held with traditional leaders to discuss roles and responsibilities in the fight against child marriage. Some traditional leaders made changes to initiation ceremonies upon returning home. Most child marriages are not forced marriages, but rather cases of children marrying other children of their own volition, with or without parental consent. Although marriages between older men and young girls do occur, they are not common. Children who marry sometimes come from poor or rural areas where opportunities for paid employment are limited.

Meeting with representatives of the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and the Media Institute for Southern Africa – Zambia

Freedom of speech is a right enshrined in the Constitution, but a number of laws infringe on that right. Zambia has no access to information law, so people have to fight for information. The representatives said that it is impossible to obtain information from about 92% of government institutions. To help the public participate in governance, a number of radio stations have to broadcast in the local language, since many people do not speak English. Furthermore, most of the laws need updating. Some representatives said that the traditional media outlets that are still open are usually lenient on the government.

Zambia has a multi-party political system, however, when one party wins an election, it dominates every aspect of political life and government. This can lead to favouritism. Most of the country’s laws date back to the colonial era and instead of changing these laws at Independence, subsequent governments have used it to their advantage. In particular Public Order Act, which is used by governments to legally harass the opposition and to curtail freedom of speech.

Acknowledgments

The delegates were invited to an inaugural flag raising ceremony in front of the new premises of the High Commission of Canada. In March 2017, the High Commission relocated to a building shared with the British High Commission. Lastly, the delegation wishes to thank Amy Galigan, Head of the Office of the High Commission of Canada in Zambia, as well as all of the staff of the High Commission.

Conclusion

The members of the delegation would like to thank the staff of the Canadian High Commissions in Tanzania and Zambia, as well as the representatives from Global Affairs Canada and the Library of Parliament who assisted in the preparation of the necessary briefing materials.

Respectfully submitted,

Yasmin Ratansi, MP
Chair, Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)