The stereotype of men dominating the defence forces in Zambia is evidently coming to an end with increased numbers of women in the National Service. The stereotype of men dominating the defence forces in Zambia is evidently coming to an end with increased numbers of women in the Zambia National Service.
During the 87th Zambian Agricultural show the main arena was lit up with routine match combat presentation from the ZNS squad on how to attack the enemy.
The reporter observed that at least one third of the soldiers were female clad in combat and routinely working with the men.
In an interview with The Lusaka Star Squad Commander Grace Zulu explained that the stereotype of only men being involved in the army was slowly breaking in Zambia.
“It is very encouraging to see many women in the army as people think it is only for men. But here in Zambia this stereotype is slowly changing and I can tell you; with proper training these women you see, are no different from the men,” Commander Zulu said.
She said ZNS built responsible adults.
“ZNS does not make you less of a woman either, rather it builds you to be more responsible adults, many perceive that if you are in the army you become less of a woman, actually you don’t. Not only am I more patient in life but I have a better and stronger confident character,” she said.
Commander Zulu went on to encourage girls to join the ZNS and be of great service to the nation.
Zambia is one of the countries fighting for gender equality like many other countries. In America reports have read that women are actually requesting that they be considered to fight in the frontline of battles.
In January 2013 the New York Times reported that Defence Secretary Leon Panetta was lifting the military’s official ban on women in combat, which would open up hundreds of thousands of additional front-line jobs to them.
The groundbreaking decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armour, infantry and other such combat roles, even though in reality women have frequently found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan; according to the Pentagon, hundreds of thousands of women have deployed in those conflicts.