ZCSD toughed by quality of life of Zambians

The Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) has observed that the benefits realized from the country’s economic growth are not being shared equally across the country.

ZCSD Executive Secretary Lewis Mwape has told Qfm in an interview that his organization is touched by the quality of life the majority Zambians are living.

Mr Mwape notes that the majority of the people in the country are failing to access basic needs of life such as education, health, food, shelter, water and sanitation among others.

He states that the inequality gap is widening with 90% of the national wealth in the hands of 10% of the country’s rich and foreign investors.

Mr Mwape bemoans the lack of jobs, low agricultural productivity, high illiteracy levels and low skills specialization, the lack of the social security scheme for the aged and poor social services which leave many at risk to economic and climatic shocks.

Mr. Mwape adds that the benefits of soaring global demand for Zambia’s copper is not impacting significantly on revenue available to the state or ultimately, key indices of human development.

He says it is in this regard that ZCSD in Partnership with Oxfam Zambia Office has initiated a Civil Society Poverty Observatory Group Project which is meant to encourage broad based stakeholder participation and help stimulate debate on poverty related policies through dissemination of information and advocacy; and engage government in effective implementation of poverty reduction strategies through dissemination of best practices in the country and beyond.