Women for Change and its Executive Director Emily Joy Sikazwe have been awarded the Gender Torch intended to spark renewed interest and sustained action to achieve the third United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2015.

Speaking in an interview after the presentation of the torch, at the Zambian Danish Embassy, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tornos explained that the torch was awarded to Women for Change and Emily Sikazwe because of the consistent fight they have put up in the fight for gender equality.

She said the torch was also a challenge to recipients to go an ‘extra mile’ in their work if MDG number three has to be attained.

Ms. Tornos explained that “to invest in the empowerment of women is an investment in not only one but all of the Millennium Development Goals.”

And accepting the torch, Sikazwe said “the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment cannot be overemphasized in achieving the MDGs. Women have enormous potential which is currently underutilized and as a result development is delayed and women remain marginalized, abused and ignored.”

She contends that Women for Change in its gender work had turned things round, as women and men were now working together as equal partners in development.

“Through this programme, we have managed to reduce early girl child marriage and gender based violence.

Sikazwe was awarded the 2015 Call for Action Torch for her unwavering and vocal commitment to women’s social and economic empowerment, especially rural and vulnerable women. Through Women for Change, she has answered the campaign’s call to “do something extra” by making a commitment to lobby for increased awareness of key economic issues, and to link rural and vulnerable women in Zambia to socio economic empowerment processes.

Currently, Women for Change is working with about 236,000 people in the rural areas. This figure excludes the people that are reached with its traditional leaders’ programme, which is at the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC level).

She has joined 99 esteemed international gender advocates including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Grameen Bank Founder, Muhammad Yunus to spearhead the Danish 2015 Call to Action: 100 Commitments for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women Campaign.

Others that were awarded with the torch included, Minister of local Government and Housing Sylvia Masebo, Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) Chairperson Marian Munyinda, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Executive Director and minister of Gender Patricia Mulasikwanda.

World leaders came together in 2000 to draft the MDGs which became a blueprint for international action to eradicate extreme poverty and promote development. With just over seven years remaining, many countries remain abysmally off-track in achieving all eight of the goals.

The 100 Commitments campaign is intended to revive the push towards overcoming critical barriers to development by engaging some of the world’s most prominent gender advocates in a collective and focused call to action. The campaign focuses on achieving women’s equality and empowerment (particularly economic empowerment), demanding accountability at the national and international level, and involving the private sector.