Zambia Advances Gender Equality and Rural Development Agenda at UN CSW70
Zambia has reiterated its strong commitment to advancing inclusive and sustainable development, with Miriam Chonya emphasising the country’s focus on community-driven solutions and strategic partnerships.
Speaking on the margins of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women 70th session, Hon. Chonya highlighted the importance of youth empowerment, food sovereignty, and locally led production systems as critical pathways to reducing poverty and inequality, particularly in rural areas.
The meeting, held with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, underscored the need for strengthened collaboration between government and international partners. Hon. Chonya noted that increased investment in agriculture, water resource management and rural electrification remains vital to unlocking Zambia’s economic potential.
She further stressed the importance of aligning external support with national development priorities, while encouraging innovative financing mechanisms and deeper engagement with faith-based organisations to scale impact at community level.
Meanwhile, Chola Milambo highlighted the strategic value of Zambia’s presence at the United Nations in mobilising partnerships, resources and technical expertise.
He noted that global platforms such as CSW70 provide an opportunity to position Zambia as a credible partner and showcase scalable initiatives in food systems transformation, health security and social protection.
On the part of ADRA, Vice President for Humanitarian Affairs and Excellence, Imad Madanat, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Zambia’s transition from aid dependency to sustainable, locally driven development models.
He cited ongoing programmes in food sovereignty, school feeding and community resilience, with potential for expansion through strengthened partnerships.
Similarly, Akintayo Odeyemi emphasised the importance of maximising collaboration through UN platforms and global networks to scale successful interventions in Zambia and across the region.
During the session, Hon. Chonya also participated in high-level engagements on girls’ education and women’s participation in decision-making. She reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to advancing gender equality through legislative reform, stressing the need to strengthen legal frameworks to accelerate girls’ education and remove structural barriers.
She further highlighted the importance of increasing women’s representation in leadership, pointing to Zambia’s Proportional Representation system as evidence of growing political will.
The CSW70 concluded on 19 March with Member States adopting agreed conclusions focused on strengthening access to justice for women and girls. The outcomes call for enhanced political commitment and fully funded national action plans to translate global pledges into tangible local results.
Zambia’s participation at such international fora continues to amplify its commitment to gender equality, while enabling the exchange of best practices and positioning the country to influence regional and global policy agendas.
