Copper Rose Zambia supported hosting of the International Day of the Girl Child event at Twalubuka Secondary School in Kalulushi District. The event was attended by over 560 people and the Mayor of Kalulushi, Mr. Daudi Simama who was the guest of honour. International Day of the Girl Child is an annual and internationally recognized day on 11 October. It aims to empower girls and amplify their voices. On 19 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare 11 October as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. This year, it was the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Girl Child. We are faced with the reality that nearly 1 in 4 girls aged 15–19 globally are not in education, employment or training, compared to 1 in 10 boys (https://www.unicef.org/media). Today, women are still disproportionately discriminated against across all sectors due to gender inequalities that start at a young age and continue throughout their lives. In Africa, women are far more at risk of contracting communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, STIs/STDs and malaria compared to men.
Therefore, the International Day of the Girl Child is designated to recognize the gender-based challenges that girls face around the world, including child marriages, poor learning opportunities, violence, and discrimination. Moreover, this day emphasizes adolescent girls’ right to have their voices heard so they can exhibit autonomy and feel empowered as young women. To emphasis the urgency to make changes, especially those backrolled by Covid-19, the day was celebrated under the theme “Our time is now-our rights, our future”.
During the commemoration, more than 400 brochures with different messages on selfcare, substance and drug abuse, HIV messages and STIs were passed out to participants . Since CRZ started working in Kalulushi, over 1,000 adolescents and young adults both in and out of school have been reached with information about their health and how to prevent disease and promote self-care. In an effort to keep girls in school, Copper Rose has trained more than 200 school teachers in menstrual health hygiene who are reaching out to more than 3,000 girls in different schools in the country. More than 100,000 sanitary napkins are distributed in different communities in Zambia.
Over 45,000 girls were reached in five of Zambia’s ten provinces. Information reached beneficiaries through social media MHM campaigns, community outreach activities, and in-school outreach activities.
Moreover, Copper Rose is also implementing a 4-year project funded by Aidsfonds with the goal of ensuring that vulnerable adolescents and young people aged between 10 and 24 years, especially girls (e.g., AYP living with HIV, out of school, and in remote and low-income urban settings), benefit from a more supportive policy and community environment and a strengthened health system. This enables them to practise self-care to promote and maintain their SRHR, access family planning, and prevent HIV and AIDS.
Furthermore, Copper Rose is working closely with the District Aids Task Force (DATF), the Chambishi Government Clinic, and the peer educators at the Youth Friendly Corner who are reaching out to peers in the community and schools and sharing key messages on social behavioral change communication as it borders on a number of issues affecting the adolescents’ and young people’s wellbeing.
