Zambian civil society groups intend to start a nation-wide media campaign to discredit legislators from the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy who voted against a law to form a constituent assembly for adopting the country's fourth national constitution. “We are coming up with what we call a 'shame' list, which is basically a list of the 65 Members of Parliament who rejected the constituent assembly motion demanded by the people,” declared Oasis Forum chairman Reverend Japheth Ndhlovu. The Oasis Forum, an influential civil society group, also led the fight that defeated former president Frederick Chiluba's bid for a third term.

The Zambian National Civil Society MDG/GCAP Campaign is holding a special interview with Zambia's Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry - Honourable Dipak Patel who is also chairperson for the least developed countries delegation at the WTO. The interview will take place on Thursday, December 8th--two days before international White Band Day 3, which will see a host of events around the world designed to put a spotlight on trade injustice.

“It is time that the double standards and the rigged rules of global trade is changed to work for all, not just for a few powerful and rich nations” said Irene Banda, from a popular trade campaigning Zambian organisation. “We have mobilized more than 1 million Zambian people to petition the WTO- leaders, meeting in Hong Kong in December.” Reported by the Millennium Campaign, the group will be traveling with James “Chamanyazi” Ngoma, across Zambia, from today, (November 28) and for next week, to inform and mobilize more support against unjust trade practices in Zambia and internationally. The Organisation Development and Community Management Trust (ODCMT) joined the Oxfam International Big Noise for Making Trade Fair campaign in 2002.

ARTICLE 19 has condemned the arrest of Fred M'membe, editor and CEO of Zambia's only private daily newspaper The Post, who has been charged under the country's defamation law for having insulted President Levy Mwanawasa.

Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa has declared a national disaster and appealed for international food aid. More than one million Zambians face severe food shortages due to drought. Last week, Zambia appealed for $18m in aid to deal with the food crisis. Zambia is one of six countries across southern Africa facing a food crisis. The UN says some 12m people in the region need food aid.

The Zambian government has rejected a proposal to guarantee citizens the right to access public information as part of a new constitution being drafted for the country, report the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and ARTICLE 19. The Justice Minister, George Kunda, says the government is opposed to Clause 72 in the draft constitution, which provides for access to information, because it would compromise state security. The government has also rejected provisions in the draft constitution which would have protected all electronic and print media from government interference and shielded journalists from disclosing their sources except in court.

Kindernothlife, a German NGO and Eurodad member, has produced a new report, assessing the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) processes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia from a child rights perspective. The report links up with a previous study, titled 'Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: blind to the rights of the (working) child?', which showed that the majority of the PRSPs did not deal with child labour. The study in 2004 called for a case study with a wider scope that also goes beyond a mere text analysis. This report aims to address this gap.

Zambia's opposition has called for a halt to a just-begun voter registration campaign, arguing that alleged flaws in voters' cards could lead to rigging in next year's elections. Anderson Mazoka, interim leader of an alliance of six opposition parties, has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to correct the alleged anomalies before continuing with the scheduled 21-day registration exercise begun on 31 October.

The U.N. Population Fund so far this year has invested $659,798 on HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Zambia and plans to spend an additional $100,000 by the end of 2005, Deji Popoola, the agency's country representative, said on Monday during a press briefing, the Times of Zambia reports. Popoola said most of UNFPA's prevention efforts target women and young people with low socio-economic status. According to Popoola, HIV/AIDS has led to an increase in the number of pregnancy-related deaths in Zambia because the disease lowers the immunity of pregnant women, making them more susceptible to infections, Xinhuanet reports.

Zambian police have launched a manhunt for the controversial editor of its only daily newspaper after an editorial comment which apparently insulted President Levy Mwanawasa, a spokesperson for the paper said, according to a report in South Africa’s The Star, republished on www.journalism.co.za The Post managing editor Amos Malupenga said police had summoned editor Fred M'membe to appear at a local police station for questioning.

The least developed countries in the WTO have made a request to the TRIPS Council to extend the transitional period for their implementing the TRIPS Agreement for a further 15 years after the present transition period expires at the end of this year, reports Third World Network. The formal request for extension was submitted by Zambia on behalf of the LDC members on 13 October and issued as a communication by the WTO Secretariat on 21 October.

Thousands of Zambian demonstrators, many wearing green ribbons and carrying fresh-cut branches as a sign of protest, marched on parliament on 1 November to insist that a constituent assembly be convened to pass a new constitution for the country. The demonstrators, ranging from university students to the clergy and opposition party leaders, braved soaring temperatures to hand out petitions to MPs demanding a bill be passed creating a constituent assembly. They also want the new constitution in place before next year's presidential election - a target President Levy Mwanawasa has said would be impossible to meet.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia urgently requires a dynamic and highly motivated person to fill the position of PROGRAMME ASSISTANT for its' Radio and Good Governance Project, on an initial one-year renewable contract.

Farmers, experts and officials meet in Lusaka, Monday 17 October, to discuss the impact of HIV/AIDS on smallholder agriculture and ways to secure food supplies and rural livelihoods, despite widespread declining incomes and productivity. The three-day workshop, 17-19 October, is convened by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). It will provide participants with an opportunity to share strategies that can mitigate the effect of the pandemic on rural development in Southern Africa.

On 4 October 2005, Q-FM radio reporter Wamunyima Walubita was forced to erase material from his tape recorder which documented his mistreatment by police in order to secure his release from detention. Walubita told the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia on 6 October that he was picked up by police while covering a riot by students from Evelyn Hone College, who were protesting against declining education standards at the institution.

Like many African countries in the 1990s, Zambia experienced drastic political, social and economic changes. In response to these changes, Zambia embarked on a market driven economy that has seen the privatisation of most state enterprises. These changes have proliferated in the media industry as well. However, instead of privatising state media, the government liberalised the airwaves, allowing new players to enter the media terrain. This resulted in the mushrooming of many community-based radio broadcasting stations.

The Zambia Academy of Science, launched on September 16, will promote excellence in research and strengthen the country's capacity for science-led development, says its president. "The academy will also provide advice on specific scientific problems presented to it by the government and its agencies as well as the private sector," added Mwananyanda Lewanika in an interview with SciDev.Net.

Prominant Lusaka state counsel Dr Rodger Chongwe has advised former president Frederick Chiluba to submit himself to the London High Court. Commenting on former president Frederick Chiluba's refusal to be tried by the London High Court which has been allowed by the Zambian government to sit in Zambia, Dr Chongwe said Chiluba was the defender of the frozen properties and the court was allowing him to exercise his right to be heard because the tribunal did not want to come to a decision before it heard his side.

Egypt

Education – According to the UNDP, school enrolment rates in Egypt increased during the 1990s, and between 1995 and 2002 the enrolment rates in primary education for boys improved by 5% and 9% for girls. However, in rural areas, the illiteracy rate for females is almost twice that of males (15.5 and 8%, respectively) for children aged 12 to 15. For those aged between 15 and 25, literacy rates have improved for males, by about 12% and 25% for females. As is the case for children, adult literacy rates vary greatly by region, but on average, the estimated illiteracy rate for the entire population of Egypt (15 years and older) dropped only from 25.7% in 2000 to 24.3% in 2003. The UNDP report of 2004 identified barriers to education, which involve the conditions of school facilities, the methods by which students are taught and the implemented curriculum.

Gender - While girls and women are integrating themselves into Egypt’s educational system at a reasonable rate, their participation in the economy lags behind. The gender composition in the economy is more balanced in urban areas. According to the UNDP, the unemployment rates for women decreased from 23.8% in 1995 to 22.6% in 2001, when the rate for men was 5.6%. Politically, Egypt lags behind in terms of the number of women involved in government. There is only a 2.4% representation of women in the People Assembly and 8% in the Shura Council. The Egyptian government is, however, drafting a new election law that may include measures to ensure increasing numbers of women in parliamentary seats.

Health –The infant morality rate dropped from 44 out of 1000 live births to 38 and for children under 5. The eradication of Malaria and TB are showing good progress in Egypt, as Malaria has been under control for almost 10 years, while Tuberculosis only has an infection rate of about 32 cases per 100 000 people. The UNDP report states that HIV/AIDS rates are low in Egypt, at 0.01 percent, but there is a problem with Hepatitis C. Some villages have prevalence rates as high as 57%, and strong public awareness raising campaigns as well as infection control programs are needed to reverse this trend.

http://www.un.org.eg/Documents/MDGREnglish.pdf

Nigeria

Education – School enrolment rates for primary and junior secondary school in Nigeria fluctuated immensely between 1990 and 2000, according to the UNDP’s 2004 report. Enrolment increased between 1990 and 1994 from 68% to 86%, but declined to 70% in 1996. Literacy rates have also deteriorated for the population as a whole, falling from 58% in 1990 to 49% in 2001. Literacy rates among women and girls for this same time period fell from 44% to 41%. The UNDP report states that the challenges faced by the education system include resource and institutional constraints, poverty, culture and the quality of teaching.

Gender – Participation of women in secondary and tertiary education is limited, according to the UNDP, which has an overall effect on the involvement of women in stable wage employment and economic empowerment, although data shows that women are becoming increasingly represented in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector. Membership of women in politics is also limited, with only 1 woman out of 57 in the Senate and 3 of 445 in the Federal House of Representatives.

Health – Not a lot of progress has been made in reducing child mortality in Nigeria, according to the UNDP report. Under-five mortality rates have deteriorated since the 1990s and are now at rates of 243 and 153 out of 1000 births for urban and rural areas, respectively. It is very unlikely than Nigeria will be able to meet its goals for this target, due to obstacles such as poverty, low access to health care facilities, HIV/AIDS and poor maternal health. The HIV/AIDS rates for Nigeria are high, with estimates of between 3.2 to 3.8 million adults and children living with the disease at the end of 2003. In response, Nigeria’s HIV & AIDS Emergency Action Plan aims to increase awareness, promote behavioral change, foster community specific action plans, promote care and support, mitigate the effect of the disease, monitor and produce research.

http://www.undp.org.ng/Docs/NHDR/Executive_Summary.pdf

South Africa

Education – Enrolment rates in primary and secondary schools compare favorably with developed countries, at around 95%. However, there are low rates of high school completion for South Africans, and over half of high school graduates are white. The difference in attendance rates between girls and boys is nominal, according to the UNDP report of 2003, and in some cases is even higher for girls. The adult illiteracy rate for the whole of the country in 1991 was 14.6%, but has today fallen, with over 96% of the population literate.

Gender – While gender parity is at an acceptable level in the educational sphere, men dominate senior employment opportunities, and in turn, earn higher wages. Thus, women are relinquished to lower paying and less skilled positions. This can be seen in the decline of women in senior or managerial positions from 26.3% to 22.7% (1995 to 2001). The UNDP report states that politically, women hold almost one third or all seats in South Africa’s national parliament, comparing favorably to other developed countries.

Health – Under-five mortality has decreased in South Africa, from 93 to 70 per 1000 births, between 1990 and 1000, which is in line with the target of reducing child mortality by two thirds. This number was, however, higher in rural areas, with large disparities between the provinces. HIV/AIDS is an extremely pressing issue for South Africa, with one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. In 2002 an estimated 5.3 million people were infected. The UNDP report states that the areas that South Africa has targeted for improvement include prevention, treatment, care and support and research monitoring and surveillance.

http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000875/docs/UNDP%20MDG%20Indicators…

Zambia

Education – Zambia is experiencing reversals in educational attainment, with the primary net enrolment ration dropping by 4% between 1990 and 2003. However, the proportion of students reaching grade 7 increased from 64% to 73% between 2000 and 2003. Literacy rates for girls continue to be lower than those of males. A significant reason for these rates is the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has caused a decline in the number of teachers, besides other obvious consequences. Rural schools suffer more than urban areas, due to overcrowding and lack of resources. The 2003 UNDP report states that Zambia’s government has attempted to reverse these trends through the partnership of various organizations, both public and private sector.

Gender – The full participation of girls and women in secondary levels of education due to early marriage, pregnancy and domestic chores has resulted in fewer female university graduates, directly impacting the number of women in skilled, non-agricultural jobs. According to the UNDP, the number of women in Parliament has increased from 6% in 1991 to 12% in 2001, but remains below the target of 30%.

Health - In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 107 per 1000 births, but has dropped to 95 in 2002. Under-five mortality has dropped from 191 to 168 per 1000 births between 1992 and 2002, according to the UNDP. Malaria, inadequate health services and the high incidence rate of HIV/AIDS are some of the leading factors in infant and under-five mortality, but the Zambian government plans on instituting National Immunization Days, an Integrated Management of Childhood Infection Program, prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and nutrition and breastfeeding support programmes.

http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000856/P968-MDG_Zambia_2003.pdf

Ethiopia

Education – Rates of enrolment in primary school jumped dramatically from 32% in 1990 to 57.4% in 2000, meaning that it will be possible for the Ethiopian government to meet the target goal, according to the 2005 UNDP report. The number of females enrolled in primary schools has also increased, from 29.4% to 52% between 1990 and 2000.

Health – Rates for under-five mortality have decreased, from 190 out of 1000 births in 1990 to 167 in 2000, and maternal mortality has decreased from 1400 in 100 000 births to somewhere between 500 and 700 in 2000. The HIV/AIDS rates, in 2000, sat at 7.3%, which is on target for the goals, according to the UNDP.

http://www.undp.org/mdg/goodpractices/Ethiopia-casestudy.pdf

* Compiled by Karoline Kemp, Fahamu

More than two weeks after getting a green light from the Zambian authorities to return home, over 700 Angolan refugees are still languishing at a transit centre, awaiting clearance from their government. There were also concerns that the refugees were growing increasingly frustrated, which "could lead to insecurity in the area".