Zambia has recorded a notable 8.2 percent reduction in gender-based violence (GBV) cases during the third quarter of 2025, marking a year-on-year improvement in national efforts to address interpersonal and domestic violence. This was confirmed by the Zambia Police Service in an official statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga.
Between July and September 2025, a total of 9,899 GBV cases were registered, in contrast to 10,782 cases recorded during the same period in 2024. According to Hamoonga, this reduction reflects the continuing influence of nationwide community sensitisation campaigns and community policing interventions, both of which have been scaled up in recent years.
Of the 9,899 incidents reported, 6,203 were criminal cases, encompassing offences such as physical assault, sexual violence, and child abuse. The remaining 3,696 cases were non-criminal, often involving psychological abuse, economic exploitation, or neglect, which, while not always prosecutable, still have deep social consequences.
While the data demonstrates a positive trajectory, officials cautioned against complacency. The figures still underscore the disproportionate burden of violence faced by women and girls. Of the total victims, 79 percent were female, reaffirming long-standing gendered patterns of violence. Furthermore, 2,318 children and 7,581 adults were affected during the reporting period, with children comprising a significant proportion of vulnerable cases.
In a statement released by the police, Hamoonga acknowledged the decrease in overall cases but noted that “the persistently high levels of physical and sexual violence against women and girls remain deeply troubling.” He further reiterated the institution’s commitment to tackling GBV through intensified enforcement, community awareness, and victim support structures.
This downward trend in GBV should be situated within broader African discourses that increasingly emphasise localised approaches to social justice, gender equity, and community-led resilience building. Civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, and grassroots movements across the continent have been central to reframing the GBV discourse from one of crisis to one of agency, prevention, and healing.
While quantitative declines may indicate progress, such metrics only partially reflect the lived experiences of survivors. In many rural and peri-urban communities across Southern Africa, barriers to reporting, including stigma, limited access to legal services, and fear of retaliation, persist. Thus, while Zambia’s quarterly report suggests incremental gains, the structural drivers of GBV — including poverty, patriarchy, and systemic inequality — demand sustained attention.
As part of a pan-African commitment to human dignity, national efforts such as Zambia’s should be read alongside similar initiatives in countries such as Rwanda, South Africa, and Namibia, where state and non-state actors have been experimenting with hybrid legal-social responses to GBV, including restorative justice mechanisms, specialised GBV courts, and mobile victim support units.
The Zambia Police Service has reaffirmed its intent to strengthen its multi-stakeholder partnerships and ensure that its responses are not merely reactive, but also preventative. Its stated objective is to enhance the capacity of local communities to identify, report, and interrupt GBV patterns through inclusive policy-making and improved data collection.
The reduction in GBV cases, while modest, reflects a gradual reshaping of community norms and institutional accountability in Zambia. As gender justice movements across Africa continue to challenge inherited colonial, patriarchal, and extractive structures, there is growing recognition that sustainable change lies not solely in legal frameworks, but in deepened community consciousness and intergenerational engagement.
