Every child has the right to live free from violence, exploitation and abuse.

One of the most urgent needs for children to reach their full potential is protection from harm. Yet, thousands of children in Zambia continue to face abuse, neglect, exploitation, and various forms of violence, all of which undermine their development and well-being.

The 2014 Zambia Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) revealed high rates of violence against children and youth. Key findings included that half of females and males experienced at least one type of violence in childhood, with females more likely to report sexual violence. About 20% of girls experienced sexual violence before age 18, and 26% of those who had sex before 18 described their first encounter as unwanted. 33.8% of females and 40.1% of males aged 18-24 experienced physical violence prior to age 18 (lifetime violence) while 27.7% of females and 27.5% of males aged 13-17 experienced physical violence in the past 12 months(current violence). Unfortunately, of all the respondents that received some kind violence, only a small percentage knew where to go for help, and fewer received follow-up care.

Later statistics from the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit show that in 2022, Zambia recorded a total of 8,037 reports of gender-based violence from children, representing a percentage of 24% of all reported cases. In 2024, the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit received reports from 2,666 child victims, representing 21.5% of all reported cases. This is alarming and calls for immediate action to protect children.

Violence against children is entirely preventable. At ChildFund, we are committed to helping create communities and a nation where violence no longer exists, and children have a chance to develop to their fullest potential.

Our Impact

202, 333

children participated in our child protection programs in 2024/25 to keep safe at home, school, in the community and on-line

31, 967

children registered and issued birth certificates

100 +

girls retrieved from early marriages and put back in school

2000

care givers trained to protect and support children

Facts and figures from 2024 data.

How does ChildFund work to protect children?

At ChildFund, we adopt a systems approach to preventing and responding to violence against children by focusing on the interconnectedness of various factors that contribute to child protection. This comprehensive strategy recognizes that effective prevention and response requires collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including families, communities, governments and the private sector. By working with these key actors, we aim to strengthen the protective environment surrounding children, ensuring their safety at home, in school, within the community, and online.

We promote community-led prevention and response, enabling communities to lead in transforming conditions that hinder children from reaching their full potential. Built on the belief that communities hold the key to protecting their children, we focus on mapping existing protective structures and supporting their engagement in dialogues with one another and relevant stakeholders. These discussions aim to uncover factors that expose children to risks, identify gaps in community capacity for prevention and response, and support integrated, community-led interventions for sustainable child protection.

We believe that communities hold the key to protecting their children. That’s why we support our local partner organizations and communities to build on and strengthen existing child protection mechanisms, ensuring that children and community members drive their own protection. Our approach promotes community-led prevention and response, enabling communities to take the lead in transforming conditions that hinder children from reaching their full potential.

We focus on mapping and supporting existing protective structures and facilitating dialogues among community members, stakeholders, and government actors. These discussions help uncover the root causes that expose children to harm, identify gaps in local capacity, and shape integrated, community-driven interventions for sustainable child protection.

We also link community structures with government services and the broader child protection system to ensure coordinated efforts that don’t operate in isolation. A key part of our violence prevention work is addressing harmful practices such as early marriage and violence against girls and women.

Nearly 29% of girls in Zambia are married before the age of 18, and 17% become mothers before turning 18—realities that often force them out of school and limit their ability to build a better future (UNICEF Zambia, 2023). Barriers such as poverty, long distances to school, lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, and harmful cultural practices continue to stand in the way of girls' education. Too many girls are being left behind. ChildFund is working with the Government of Zambia and partners to change this. We are helping to build safe school dormitories for girls in remote areas, ensuring they have a secure place to stay close to school. We are also raising awareness within communities to shift harmful gender norms and promote the value of girls’ education. Through these efforts, we are supporting girls to not only enroll, but to stay in school, learn, and thrive. Learn more.

Our child protection and development work supports children and young people to learn to use their voices to enhance their own protection. Children’s experiences and perspectives inspire adults to understand that change is possible and turn hope into action.

To ensure children are actively and meaningfully involved in all matters affecting their well-being, we:

Engage children in thematic surveys and forums where they can share insights on issues that impact them and provide recommendations for addressing these challenges to inform decision-making.
Champion and invest in children’s participation in critical advocacy efforts at county, national, regional and global levels, ensuring their voices are heard on significant issues related to their protection.
Promote child rights clubs in schools, enabling children to practice advocacy skills and deepen their understanding of their rights.
Engage in well-coordinated networks of like-minded agencies to champion the realization of all rights of children to protection.

ChildFund consistently spearheads advocacy initiatives focused on championing children's rights. As an active member of networks like the Joining Forces Alliance, ChildFund collaborates with other organizations to promote the enforcement of child protection legislation and policies and amplify our advocacy efforts. These efforts extend through ChildFund’s implementing partners at county and local levels, supporting child-led advocacy to ensure children actively and meaningfully engage with decision-makers at all levels.

Before the enactment of the Children’s Code Act (No. 12 of 2022), ChildFund, through the Joining Forces Alliance, worked tirelessly with civil society partners, government institutions, and child rights networks to advocate for stronger legal protections for children. These efforts included policy advocacy, community consultations, and technical contributions to ensure the Act aligned with both national needs and international child rights standards

As the implementation of the Act commenced, in 2022, ChildFund pledged its commitment to working with the Zambian Government and other stakeholders in supporting its enforcement. The Act reiterates the Government of Zambia’s commitment to fulfilling its international and regional human rights obligations to eliminate all forms of violence against children in all settings. Children make up more than half of the country’s population and this Act is what will help create a Zambia that is fit for every child.

This further adds to the country’s increasingly strengthened efforts in national planning and action to protect children. Zambia made a commitment to work towards ending all forms of violence against children by becoming the 31 st pathfinding country in 2021. Learn more.

Featured Project

Trapped in an Abusive Marriage at 14 — How Agnes Found Hope Again

Early marriage remains a significant barrier to girls’ rights and development in many parts of rural Zambia. In districts such as Kafue, Luangwa, Chongwe, and Mumbwa, traditional norms, poverty, and limited access to education continue to fuel child marriage, cutting short the dreams of countless girls and exposing them to lifelong vulnerabilities, including gender-based violence, early pregnancies, and limited economic opportunities.

In response to this deeply rooted challenge, ChildFund launched a targeted campaign aimed at preventing early marriages and supporting adolescent girls to reclaim their right to education and safety. Through intensive community sensitisation, school re-entry programs, and partnerships with traditional leaders and caregivers, the campaign directly reached over 400 girls, helping them return to school and rebuild their confidence.

Agnes, a 15-year-old girl from Kafue District, is one of the courageous young girls who escaped an early marriage with support from ChildFund’s intervention. Today, she is back in class with renewed hope for the future.