Global Courant 2023-04-15 00:48:20
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One-Stop-Centers are facilities established to provide integrated services to victims of gender-based violence (GBV). The essence of the one-stop center is to provide services in one place to prevent survivors from moving from one place to another to access the service providers. Instead, all service providers are in one place. The centers coordinate survivor-focused support from health professionals, police, social workers, and legal personnel.
Gender-based violence is a serious problem. There was an increase in the number of GBV cases reported to the Zambia Police between 2012 and 2020, and although cases fell slightly from 26,370 to 20,540 between 2020 and 2021 respectively; in 2022 there was another further increase to 24,290.
To address these concerns and ensure comprehensive care and support for survivors, especially children and women, Phase II of the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the Joint United Nations Program on GBV (GRZ-UN JP GBV ) facilitated the provision of a coordinated, sustainable and comprehensive set of response services and prevention mechanisms at the national and sub-national levels addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in Zambia. Interventions under the joint programme, supported by the generous contributions of the governments of Sweden and Ireland, focused on the well-being of child victims and witnesses of GBV, enabling service providers to acquire child-friendly skills suitable for their age to support surviving children.
“We have dealt with several cases of children who have been physically and sexually abused and denied resources by their parents or carers. Every time these children were taken to the health center, it took time to communicate with them because they did not feel comfortable talking to a complete stranger,” says Mukubesa Lutangu, a psychosocial counselor who works at One Stop Center in St. Francis. Hospital in Katete district. Before training the staff of the one-stop center and equipping the facilities with child-friendly equipment, helping children seeking help in the centers was no easy task.
One of five One Stop Centers transformed into child-friendly spaces with support from UNICEF through the GRZ-UN Joint Program on GBV Phase II.
In strengthening the capacity of front-line officers who interact with child victims and survivors in the one-stop centers (social worker, police officer and health personnel), the program supported the judiciary in developing and rolling out guidelines on minimum standards for Child Victims and witnesses in court, a reference tool for service providers to promote the protection and enforcement of the rights of child victims and witnesses and enable them to treat young clients in a child-friendly manner.
“The one-stop child-friendly space at St Francis Central Hospital in Katete has really improved the service provided to GBV child victims and survivors brought to the facility. The One-Stop-Center has a special corner with child-friendly toys that children can play with during sessions. As a result, children feel more comfortable receiving medical and psychosocial services. It is now easier for our staff to interact with the children because of the friendly environment,” said Dr Kumwenda – Acting Superintendent Medical Officer of St Francis Central Hospital in Katete District, Eastern Province.
In 2022, a total of 634 child victims and witnesses of GBV were treated by key institutions in the 15 districts in the country where the joint program has been implemented.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNICEF Zambia.
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