EXCERPT FROM UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS STAKEHOLDERS SUBMISSIONS DOCUMENT (A/HRC/WG.6/2/ZMB)

6. Right to social security and to an adequate standard of living

30. FI-ERI indicated that, particularly in the Copperbelt region of northern Zambia, Zambians, were hopeful that their living conditions would be improved by the investment in the development of resources. The rapid privatization process between 1997 and2000 has however, drastically deepened the pre-existing poverty of the Copperbelt inhabitants. The unemployment rate is 22 percent whilst it is 6 percent at the national level. Health care, education, housing and other social services, including HIV and AIDS, as well as malaria awareness raising and prevention programmes were dismantled, according to FI-ERI. HIV and AIDS prevalence in the Copperbelt is much higher than the national rate. FI-ERI further noted that the transfer of the Zambia Consolidated Cooper Mines (ZMMC) to private investors was concluded under the so-called “Development Agreements”, which barely took note of environmental concerns. Companies continue the mineral exploitation without making any contributions to local development.47

31. According to Child Rights organisations, the 1996 Situation Analysis of Children in Zambia and the 2004 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Situational Analysis described a worsening situation and estimated the ‘population of street children to have increased rapidly to 75,000 since the first Situation Analysis undertaken in 1991.48 The phenomenon of children sleeping and/or working on the streets in Lusaka, , as well as across the nation was also raised by FI-ERI, indicating that their vulnerability exposes them to various risks such as child trafficking, child labour, and abuse, including sexual mistreatment and exploitation.49 Child Rights organisations recommended to widely publicise social welfare schemes available to support vulnerable children and to ensure sufficient funds are allocated to programmes;.50 FI-ERI urged the Government to specifically dedicate attention to: prevention measures; participation of families, community-based associations, traditional and Church leaders; empowerment of families to increase their support to children for an effective access to social services; educational programmes.51

32. Of the estimated population of 12,000,000 in Zambia, 1.2 million are HIV infected as indicated by FI-ERI. FI-ERI indicated that the response of the Government to HIV and AIDS should be addressed during the UPR and recommended the Human Rights Council to urge the Government to adopt a specific national programme matched with a national action plan to effectively address the problem of Orphan Vulnerable Children (OVC), grandparents heading households composed with poor orphan vulnerable children, poor households struggling to provide care for orphans on much wider scale than at present; to meet the needs of children without adult caregivers; to increase support and coordination among community-based associations and other civil society organisations to improve their contribution to tackling the disease and its consequences on children; to integrate HIV and AIDS services into other child health services; to identify HIV infected children; to expand the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services; and transparency in management of resources devoted to the combat against HIV and AIDS. 52

7. Right to education and to participate in the cultural life of the community

34. FI-ERI further indicated that during the UPR, particular attention needs to be given to primary education, community schools and skills education in Zambia. Regarding primary education, FI-ERI made a call for social partners in the consultation process of the Education Bill that is currently before the Parliament. They also indicated that community schools, especially in poorer urban and some rural areas, are mainly reliant on private donor funding and urged the Government to effectively implement the policy enunciated in its Education Our Future document and to contribute to the running costs of the community schools. 55

III. ACHIEVEMENTS, BEST PRACTICES, CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

35. Zambia has made considerable progress in promoting and implementing the right to education, as reported by FI-ERI. According to UNESCO data for 2005, provided by FI-ERI, some 93 percent of girls and 91 percent of boys are in primary school. However, only 83 percent of children complete a full course of primary school. 56

36. Despite Zambia’s impressive roll-out of HIV treatment, the country’s health system and legal framework fails to address barriers to women’s HIV treatment and as a result, some women living with HIV miss out on life-saving HIV treatment.57