Family Development Initiatives

We’ve all seen committees that exist only on paper.

We’re making sure the new Gender Sub-Committee in Isoka isn't one of them.

FDI spent the last two days with the YWCA and Provincial teams, and we got stuck into the "how-to" of gender mainstreaming.

It wasn't just a lecture; the training was about learning how to look at a community project or a local budget and actually see who is being left behind.

We practiced how to collect the right data, how to challenge old ways of doing things, and, most importantly, how to make sure that when big decisions happen in Isoka, women and marginalized voices are leading the conversation, not just mentioned in the footnotes.

For the first time, Zambia heads into elections with the Cyber Security & Crimes Law and Data Protection Law in place, a clearer digital framework for us all.
But laws alone aren’t enough.

As life moves increasingly online, so must our conversations about rights and responsibilities.

That’s why Family Development Initiatives (FDI), in partnership with Paradigm Initiative, convened a 2-day stakeholder workshop in Lusaka, bringing together state actors, civil society, political parties, media, and religious groups to take action ahead of 2026 elections.
✅ Securing biometric systems & digital results transmission
✅ Fighting misinformation and online gender-based violence
✅ Launching a Digital Rights Monitoring Toolkit to track internet disruptions
✅ Closing the digital divide so no Zambian gets “muted” by technology

As our Team Leader Sheikh Yussuf Ayami put it, “digital rights are human rights”. The integrity of our next election depends on the integrity of our digital spaces.

We’re moving from awareness to action.

Action is the most important part of any dialogue. Following the district and community sessions held under the CLM Malaria Project, we are actively tracking the progress of key issues raised by community members in Rufunsa and Luangwa Districts.

Our current follow-ups are focused on three critical gaps identified last year:

Commodity Availability: Addressing the shortage of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and essential malaria drugs in local health facilities.

Transport Logistics: Finding solutions to the transport challenges that hinder service delivery and limit patient access to care.

Community Awareness: Securing Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to strengthen grassroots engagement and malaria prevention.

Following up on these action points ensures that the feedback provided by communities results in real improvements. By addressing these gaps in supplies, transport, and information, we move closer to ensuring every individual has access to quality malaria testing and treatment.

Continued collaboration with our partners and stakeholders remains the priority as we work to strengthen these health systems.