A delegation from Zambia’s National Prosecution Authority is currently in South Africa for a three-day SADC Trainers of Trainers (TOT) Meeting. The event focuses on the application of the SADC Handbook for Prosecutors on the Management of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and is being held at the Holiday Inn in Johannesburg.

The meeting brings together representatives from 14 SADC member states, including Angola, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mauritius, Madagascar, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Botswana, Seychelles, Namibia, and Zambia. The Zambian delegation is led by Mrs. Chali Mbewe – Hambayi, Deputy Chief State Advocate in charge of the Gender-Based Violence Crimes Department. She is accompanied by Sikute Elizabeth Muliokela, Senior Public Prosecutor; Joe Phiri, Senior Public Prosecutor; and Grace Katoka Muhumpu, Senior Public Prosecutor.

Zambia has been given the rare opportunity to facilitate at this training, which facilitation will be conducted by Mrs. Chali Hambayi tackling the issues of Trauma Based Approach in the Prosecution of GBV Cases, Effective Presentation of Evidence and conducting of challenging cases such as Technology Facilitated Gender Based Violence, Femicide, Conflict Related Sexual Violence and Drug Facilitated Sexual Violence.

The Conference is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The conference is aimed at strengthening criminal justice, responses to Gender Based Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) within the SADC region and building a pool of regional experts who can conduct GBV trainings in their own countries. At the end of the training each country is expected to come up with a training plan charting the roadmap for the roll out of the GBV Handbook.