FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

CARITAS ZAMBIA CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY, PROTECTION, AND DIGNITY FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

LUSAKA | Monday 28, September, 2026

Theme: “Even Just One of These Children”

As the global Church commemorates the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Caritas Zambia stands in firm solidarity with refugees, displaced families, migrants, and children on the move across our nation and the region. Grounded in our Catholic faith, biblical teachings, and Catholic Social Teaching, caring for refugees is a profound moral imperative. We recall that Jesus Himself experienced displacement, fleeing to Egypt with Mary and Joseph to escape persecution (Matthew 2:13–15). Every displaced person bears inherent human dignity that must be protected and upheld.

This year’s theme, “Even Just One of These Children”, reminds us that no child is a mere statistic or forgotten casualty of conflict. Each child is created in the image of God and deserves protection, education, and hope. Our Christian discipleship is measured by the mercy we embody and the justice we pursue in safeguarding forcibly displaced children, youth, and families.

Caritas Zambia remains deeply committed to empowering young refugees through livelihood and vocational skills training, financial inclusion, and vital psychosocial counselling services to support healing from trauma. However, achieving sustainable protection and integration requires collective action, strong partnerships, and aligned national policy frameworks.

While we commend the Government of the Republic of Zambia for its longstanding commitment to refugee protection and the launch of the 2024 National Refugee Policy, significant legal and operational challenges persist. To operationalize these commitments and unlock the economic potential of refugees, Caritas Zambia urges the following concrete actions:

1. Enact Comprehensive Legislation and Harmonize Protections:Formulate and implement an overarching statutory framework dedicated to safeguarding the rights of refugees and migrants. Existing national legislation including the Immigration Control Act No. 3 of 2026 and relevant labour laws must be harmonized with the Refugees Act No. 1 of 2017 and the 2024 Refugee Policy. The alignment of these legal instruments will secure fundamental rights, broaden freedom of movement, facilitate access to formal employment, and strictly uphold the principle of non-refoulement.

2. Enhance Inter-Agency Coordination: Strengthen collaboration across departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security including Immigration, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, Anti-Human Trafficking, and the Zambia Police Service for efficient, rights-based service delivery.

3. Invest in Refugee Self-Reliance and Integration: Expand support for vocational training, entrepreneurship, and economic inclusion targeting refugee youth and women, transitioning from emergency assistance to long-term community integration.

Let us remember our shared humanity and work together toward a society where every refugee is welcomed, protected, and empowered to thrive. May Our Lady and Saint Joseph watch over all displaced families journeying in uncertainty.

Issued by:

Fr. Dr. Gabriel Mapulanga

Executive Director, Caritas Zambia

Download the entire signed copy of the CARITAS Zambia Statement On Migrants And Refugees here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/CARITAS-Zambia-Statement-On-Migrants-And-Refugees.pdf

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR FIELD FACILITATORS - MARCH 2023

Caritas Zambia - a Catholic Agency for Justice, Peace and Integral Human Development is a Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) institution and a department of the Catholic Secretariat established under article 36 (7) of the ZCCB Statues, given the Mandate of supporting the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops social ministry to promote integral human development in Zambia. It was established to be at the service of two Commissions, namely the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and the Catholic Commission for Development (CCD). These Commissions are now restated under article 28, of the ZCCB Statutes.

Caritas Zambia through its Programmes ensure that in all its interventions, awareness on issues to deal with all forms of sexual and gender-based violence are fully addressed through all programme interventions by mainstreams gender as a priority focus.

This manual is aimed at significantly increasing focus and impact on gender equality and women’s rights in our development assistance. In implementing livelihoods activities in our communities, we are committed to bringing about a comprehensive and sustained change in how our field facilitators address gender aspects of our projects.

This is a simple Training Manual on sexual gender based violence (SGBV) meant for field facilitators that are working with rural community farmers.

The manual is meant to be a guide for use during community trainings to raise awareness on the effects of sexual and gender based violence, on attaining development at household level.

The training manual also provides a guide on how to respond to issues of SGBV. This manual is intended for use by field facilitators and project staff only (the participants should not have the manual).

Download the entireCARITAS Zambia Sexual And Gender Based Violence Training Manual here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/CARITAS-Zambia-Sexual-And-Gender-Based-Violence-Training-Manual.pdf

Full statement by Bishop George Cosmus Zumaire Lungu calling for diologue between government and opposition political players.

Download the entire signed copy of the Pastoral Statement From Bishop Lungu - Chipata Diocese here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Pastoral-Statement-Bishop-Lungu-Chipata-Diocese.pdf

Watch the video below or watch it on this link here: https://web.facebook.com/reel/1474359391118761

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

CALL FOR DISCLOSURE OF WHEREABOUTS AND DUE PROCESS FOR PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY STATE SECURITY AGENTS

LUSAKA | 11 August, 2026

As Caritas Zambia, we are extremely concerned by the increasing allegations of arrests and detentions of citizens, particularly those perceived to be politically inclined, by state agents.

What is most distressing is that in many of these cases, the whereabouts of the individuals taken are not known. Families are left in anguish, uncertainty, and fear.

We are especially troubled by the recent case involving Ambassador Martha Lungu Mwitumwa and her colleague, Ms. Hannah Katontoka. To date, the family has not been informed of where they are being held. We further understand that Ambassador Lungu lives with a chronic medical condition and requires regular medication. The lack of information is causing untold distress to her family and loved ones.

Our Position

Zambia is a nation governed by the rule of law and the Constitution. Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Therefore, we call upon the relevant authorities to:

1. Uphold due process at all times. If a person is suspected of having committed an offence, they should be formally charged and presented before the courts without delay.
2. Inform families of the whereabouts of those detained. Families have a right to know where their loved ones are and to have access to them, especially in cases of medical need.
3. Respect the dignity and rights of all Zambians, regardless of political affiliation.

As we approach the General Elections of 13th August 2026, we remind all institutions that actions perceived as arbitrary or secretive only fuel unnecessary speculation, mistrust, and tension. This can undermine the peace we all desire.

We, therefore, appeal to our security agencies to act professionally, transparently, and in accordance with the law. Let us protect the peace, unity, and democratic values of our country.

We pray for Ambassador Martha Lungu, her family, and all families affected. We also pray for our leaders and security personnel as they carry out their duties..

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” – Matthew 5:6

Issued by:

Fr. Dr. Gabriel Mapulanga

Executive Director, Caritas Zambia

Download the entire signed copy of the CALL FOR DISCLOSURE OF WHEREABOUTS AND DUE PROCESS FOR PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY STATE SECURITY AGENTS here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Call-For-Disclosure-Of-Whereabouts-And-Due-Process-For-Persons-Taken-Into-Custody-By-State-Security-Agents.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

LUSAKA | Friday 17th 2026

Caritas Zambia is deeply concerned about recent developments that continue to expose children to heightened risks of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. These incidents underscore the urgent need for stronger family responsibility, community vigilance, and government enforcement of child protection systems and laws. As a faith-based institution, we also believe in raising children as guided by the teaching of Jesus Christ as we reflect on some of the teachings from; Matthew 18:10; ‘‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” This is a clear reminder that children are precious before God, and harming them is a grave offense.

As a Church, our perspective on the environment is anchored in the prophetic words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his encyclical, Laudato Si’ - “On Care for Our Common Home”. The Document reminds us that the Earth, our common home, "is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth." He challenges us to recognize that we cannot separate our relationship with nature from our relationship with God and each other.

Therefore, we have observed with concern the few key incidences as follows:

Download the entire signed copy of the CARITAS Zambia Sounds Alarm Over Rising Child Abuse: Criticizes "Modern-Day Parenting" And Political Exploitation Of Children statement here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Caritas-Statement-on-Child-Abuse.pdf

Caritas Zambia is a Catholic Organisation that is an integral structure of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB).

The Conference of Bishops is a permanent grouping of Bishops of a given nation or territory that jointly exercises certain pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of their territory. This is done for the sake of effective evangelisation.

To promote the principle of the common good which the Church offers humankind, especially through forms and programmes of the apostolate which are fittingly adapted to the circumstances of the time and place, is the role of Bishops.

Download the entire CARITAS Zambia Programmes here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Caritas-Zambia-Programmes.pdf

UNFPA/Caritas Zambia PRESS RELEASE | MONGU, ZAMBIA – June 16, 2026

EmpowerED Project: Local Menstrual Hygiene Manufacturing as a Catalyst for Girls' Education and Autonomy

MONGU, ZAMBIA – June 16, 2026 – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with Caritas Zambia, has handed over specialized production machinery for reusable sanitary pads to the Catholic Bishop’s Office at the Mongu Diocese. Funded by the Government of Canada through the EmpowerED Programme, this initiative aims to promote menstrual hygiene by providing accessible, reusable sanitary wear to girls across targeted Catholic schools in the Western Province.

The support will enhance a sustainable, community-led model for local reusable sanitary wear production. By removing a major barrier to education, this model enables adolescent girls to attend school regularly and comfortably, ultimately improving classroom retention and health outcomes.

Globally, over 620 million children lack basic sanitation services at school, which directly cuts short a girl's education the moment she reaches puberty. In sub-Saharan Africa, an average of 31% of adolescent girls miss school entirely during their periods due to a lack of affordable sanitary materials and private spaces. National baseline data shows that poverty and early school dropout are major structural drivers of early marriage and health vulnerabilities among adolescent girls aged 15 - 19.

Menstrual hygiene challenges are a critical but often overlooked entry point into the “Triangle of Harm”, the intersectional risk of adolescent pregnancy, HIV/STIs, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) that continues to affect young people. Limited access to affordable menstrual products forces many adolescent girls to miss school or drop out entirely, increasing their exposure to early marriage, transactional sex, and unsafe environments directly associated with these heightened risks.

Speaking during the official handover ceremony, Mr. Leonard Zulu, UNFPA Youth Development Analyst, noted that, “By providing sustainable ways of producing reusable sanitary wear, the EmpowerED program is allowing young people to stay in school even when their periods have started.”

Caritas Zambia is “proud to partner with UNFPA under the EmpowerED framework, a collaboration that reaffirms the progressive role religious networks play in social development, significantly boosting school retention and overall health outcomes," added Ms. Joy Katayi, Assistant Program Officer for Child Protection at Caritas Zambia.

The Rev. Dr. Fr. Wilfred Houari, Diocesan Education Secretary at the Catholic Bishop’s Office in the Mongu Diocese, reaffirmed the Church's commitment: “The Catholic Church is here to serve its community. With over 500 schools across the country and 17 in Mongu, the Catholic Diocese will make good use of the sewing machines and ensure they serve and empower girls.”

Faith-based organizations manage 15% to 25% of the infrastructure that delivers essential education and healthcare across Zambia, particularly within hard-to-reach rural communities. The EmpowerED Programme utilizes this profound reach, leveraging safeguarding policies and age-appropriate Life Skills and Health Education (LSHE) within faith-based learning institutions.

True development happens when we move beyond short-term handouts toward industrial self-reliance. Localizing pad manufacturing inside the diocese creates a sustainable cycle of care that directly addresses school dropout rates, honors the social teachings of the Church, and upholds the inherent human dignity of our girls.

UNFPA and Caritas Zambia will continue to accelerate system-strengthening activities, monitor institutionalized child safeguarding, and provide local communities with disaggregated data to ensure zero gaps in service delivery.

About UNFPA: UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

About Caritas Zambia: Caritas Zambia is the social development wing of the Catholic Church in Zambia, dedicated to fostering human dignity, justice, peace and community empowerment through its robust local diocesan and educational networks.

Media Contacts:

UNFPA

Name: Christabel Chengo Chabwela

Title: Communications Analyst

Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Caritas Zambia

Name: Chibesa Ngulube Ngwira

Title: Knowledge Management Specialist

Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Download the entire copy of the EmpowerED Project: Local Menstrual Hygiene Manufacturing as a Catalyst for Girls' Education and Autonomy Press Release here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/UNFPA-Caritas-Press-Release-km.pdf

LUSAKA | World Environment Day, Friday, June 5, 2026

Introduction: A Shared Home, A Shared Responsibility

On behalf of the Catholic leadership in Zambia, we express our profound gratitude to all who observe the World Environment Day . We remember this day not merely to observe a date on the calendar, but to confront a defining moral crisis of our generation.

As a Church, our perspective on the environment is anchored in the prophetic words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his encyclical, Laudato Si’ - “On Care for Our Common Home”. The Document reminds us that the Earth, our common home, "is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth." He challenges us to recognize that we cannot separate our relationship with nature from our relationship with God and each other.

At the heart of this document is a singular, urgent call: to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. Today, in Zambia, these twin cries are louder than ever

The Cry of the Earth is heard in our drying riverbeds, our vanishing forests due to charcoal production, the shifting patterns of our rainy seasons, and the severe droughts that jeopardize our energy security and food systems.

The Cry of the Poor is heard in the voices of our small-scale farmers in Southern, Western, and Central provinces whose crops have withered. It is heard in our rural mothers who must walk further for clean water, and our youths facing economic insecurity because our climatedependent economy is under strain. The poor do not have the resources to adapt to the climate chaos they did the least to cause.

Therefore, any true ecological approach must always become a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.

This year's national theme, "Accelerating Zambia's Climate Action for Green Growth and Sustainability", is a timely answer to this moral imperative. Green growth cannot just be an economic policy; it must be an ecological conversion.

To accelerate action, the Church proposes three pillars of focus, blending the wisdom of Laudato Si’ with our national aspirations:

1. From Exploitation to Stewardship (Green Growth)

True green growth requires a shift from an economy based on short-term exploitation to one based on long-term stewardship. As we exploit our mineral wealth—such as the copper needed globally for the green energy transition, we must ensure strict environmental safeguards. Green growth means our local communities must not inherit polluted waters and degraded lands while the wealth flows elsewhere.

2. Integral Ecology and Sustainable Agriculture

We must accelerate support for climate-smart, sustainable agriculture. Our smallholder farmers need rapid access to drought-tolerant seed varieties, agroforestry techniques, and solar-powered irrigation. By protecting our soil and biodiversity, we cure the Earth while feeding the poor.

3. Energy Transition with a Human Face

Zambia's current energy crisis highlights our vulnerability. Accelerating climate action means aggressively diversifying into solar, wind, and sustainable biogas. This transition must be decentralized so that the poorest rural health centers and schools are the first to be energized, ensuring no one is left behind in the dark.

The Church’s Commitment and Call to Action

The Catholic Church in Zambia is not a mere bystander or critic; we are a committed partner.

Through the Catholic Commission for Development (Caritas Zambia), our parishes, and our Catholic schools across the country, we pledge to:

• Continue rolling out community-based reforestation and conservation farming projects.
• Incorporate environmental education based on Laudato Si’ into our school curriculums to raise a generation of eco-citizens.
• Utilize our vast network to promote clean cooking alternatives to reduce charcoal reliance.

A Final Appeal to the Nation

To the Government, we urge the swift and transparent implementation of national climate funds and policies, ensuring resources reach the grassroots where the suffering is greatest.

To our cooperating partners, we ask for climate justice, funding that comes not as high-interest loans that deepen our debt, but as grants to help us mitigate a crisis we did not create.

To every Zambian, Laudato Si’ reminds us that "every little action counts." Planting a tree, conserving water, and protecting a nearby forest are acts of deep spiritual love.

Conclusion

Let us remember that the environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. May this World Environment Day mark the end of complacency and the acceleration of a bold, unified Zambian action. Let us heal our land, so that we may secure a sustainable, green home for the children of tomorrow.

God bless our environment, and God bless the Republic of Zambia.

Fr. Dr. Gabriel Mapulanga | Executive Director, Caritas Zambia

Download the entire signed copy of the CARITAS ZAMBIA DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR THE EARTH AND THE POOR statement here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Caritas-Zambia-Environment-Day-2026.pdf

For All Women and Girls: dignity, justice, action

On this International Women’s Day, we join the global call for advancing equality, protecting human dignity, and ensuring safety and justice for all women and girls — not as ideals, but as lived realities.

Download the entire CARITAS Statement on the 2026 International Women’s Day here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/CARITAS-International-2026-IWD-Statement.pdf

COMMITTEE: NATIONAL GUIDANCE AND GENDER MATTERS

FOCUS: GENDER RESPONSIVENESS IN CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY FRAMEWORKS IN ZAMBIA.

1.0. INTRODUCTION

Caritas Zambia, is a Faith Based Institution anchored under the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), whose commitment is centered around advancing the Social Ministry of the Catholic Church. Our mission embodies integral evangelization, which encompasses the spiritual and physical well-being of individuals. This approach aligns with the universal response of the Catholic Church, where Caritas and Justice and Peace serve as integral components wherever the Church operates.

Inspired by the Second Vatican Council's teachings, particularly articulated in "Gaudium et Spes" (1965), Caritas Zambia recognizes the struggles and aspirations of all people, especially those marginalized or the poor, as central to its evangelizing mission. The Church's dedication to social justice was emphasized by the Synod of Bishops in 1971, underscores the transformative role of advocating for improved Social Justice and strengthening the participation of these vulnerable groups in decision platforms or opportunities.

In the spirit of strengthened collaboration with other likeminded actors, Caritas Zambia emphasises the integrated work of Development, Justice, and Peace. The establishment of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development by the Vatican in 2016 further exemplifies this synergy, consolidating various Pontifical Councils to address justice, peace, migration, health, and charitable initiatives. Further Caritas Zambia is affiliated with Caritas Internationalis (CI) and Caritas Africa (CA) who play a significant role in providing technical support in the operation of the organization, including policy guidance and financial mobilization among others.

Therefore, our work with the vulnerable and marginalised in society can not be over emphasised especially in a society marred with deepening inequalities between the rich and the poor, men and women etc. Caritas Zambia recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. As such, Caritas Zambia and indeed the Catholic Church does not believe in Charles Dewan’s theory of survival of the fittest, it believes in a society that takes care of the vulnerable and distribution of resources equally.

Download the entire Memorandum On Gender Responsiveness In Climate Change Policy Frameworks In Zambia here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/general/Memorandum-Gender-Responsiveness-Climate-Change-Policy-Frameworks-Zambia.pdf