A Hard Look at GBV: Why Are We Still Just Talking? More Talk, More Violence – Are We Afraid to Do What Actually Works?

Hey Zambia, Hey world,

Here we are again—another International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Another round of speeches, hashtags, and carefully staged photo ops. As we pause to “reflect,” I can’t help but wonder if we’ve hit the point of collective insanity. You know, doing the same thing over and over again—meetings, campaigns, candlelight vigils—and expecting different results. Because let me tell you, nothing has changed.

Actually, scratch that. Things have changed—they’ve gotten worse.

GBV: Zambia’s Everyday Epidemic

2023 was a record-breaking year for Zambia—and not in a good way. We managed to clock in the highest number of GBV-related murders in our history. One hundred thirty-seven lives lost. Sixty-eight of them women (The Mast Online, 2023). And if that doesn’t make your blood boil, maybe this will: over 10,000 GBV cases were reported in just one quarter.

Now, let’s be honest. These aren’t just numbers. They’re people—mothers, sisters, daughters, wives—people whose lives were cut short because we’re too busy talking about solutions instead of actually implementing them.

Oh, but wait! We’ve got policies, right? Laws on paper, awareness campaigns, and those feel-good TV ads telling us to “end GBV now.” Except none of it seems to be working. Why? Because GBV isn’t just about breaking the law; it’s about deeply ingrained norms, beliefs, and a culture that sees women as disposable.

The Hypocrisy of Advocacy

Here’s the thing: we’ve turned GBV into a seasonal sport. Every November, we dust off our outrage, slap on some orange outfits, and scream “enough is enough.” But once the 16 Days of Activism are over, we pack it all away until next year. Meanwhile, GBV rages on—in our homes, in our schools, in our communities.

Let me ask you:

• What good are policies when the people they’re meant to protect don’t even know they exist?

• What good are laws when the very institutions meant to enforce them are too busy sweeping cases under the rug?

• What good is “awareness” when we’re more invested in trending hashtags than tackling the root causes?

And let’s not forget our so-called justice system. A woman is murdered by her partner, and the perpetrator gets a slap on the wrist—or worse, walks free. Femicide, abuse, exploitation—these aren’t exceptions. They’re the norm. And we’ve normalized looking the other way.

A Culture of Complicity

Let’s not kid ourselves: GBV doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It thrives because we let it.

• Parents still tell their daughters to “endure” abusive marriages because leaving would bring “shame to the family.”

• Some men still believe it’s their birthright to control, abuse, and silence women.

• Communities still turn a blind eye, chalking it up to “private matters.”

• And yes, even some women perpetuate the very systems that oppress them, because that’s what they’ve been taught to believe.

This isn’t just about individual behavior—it’s about a system that props up misogyny and violence at every turn.

Stop the Performative Nonsense

Zambia, we’re at a crossroads. We can either keep doing what we’ve been doing—making noise without action—or we can finally admit that our approach is broken. It’s time to stop performing outrage and start creating real change.

Here’s the radical idea: start at the grassroots. Forget the high-level talks that never reach the people who need them. Forget the glossy campaigns that mean nothing in communities where GBV is seen as normal.

Instead:

• Go into the communities where this violence is happening.

• Listen to the people living these realities.

• Address the cultural, religious, and systemic norms that fuel this violence.

• Equip local leaders to actually enforce the laws we already have.

• Hold perpetrators accountable—publicly and decisively.

Enough Is Enough

You know what the real shame is? Not the existence of GBV (although that’s horrific enough), but the fact that we’ve accepted it as part of life. That we’ve let women die, children suffer, and families break apart while we sit in air-conditioned rooms debating “next steps.”

Well, I’ve had enough. And if you’ve read this far, I hope you’ve had enough too.

This isn’t a call for another campaign. It’s a call for a revolution—one that starts in our homes, in our communities, and in our own attitudes. Because if we don’t fix this at the grassroots, no amount of policies, hashtags, or speeches will save us.

References

• The Mast Online (2023). Zambia Records Highest GBV-Related Murders in 2023.

• News Diggers! (2023). 10,000 GBV Cases Reported in One Quarter of 2023.

• Zambia Daily Mail (2023). Social Issues and the GBV Crisis in Zambia.