Abstract:

Gender based violence exposure happens in different social contexts of children’s lives including families and communities. This often occurs in different form of violence exposures. Children are likely to be exposed to violence at a tender age and when they grow a bit old. In Zambia, Children in high-density populated areas are disadvantaged and are more exposed to violence. For young children, it has been identified that where violence affects the one who is taking care of the child it means the child will be affected too. As the child grows with this violence exposure, the child’s social, mental, emotional and academic performance out comes may be affected.

Children’s exposure to violence has received less attention than of older children, it is an especially important developmental period when children are developing social and cognitive skills and preparing for transition to formal schooling. Gender based violence can be the evil in terms of child development.

Violence exposure in the lives of children can include different ways of which children experience. This can be within the family and the community and this affects the physical, emotional and mental development in a child.

In Zambia, Gender-based violence' is a form violence that has come on the scene and very common. This has brought problems in most people’s lives and causing children to suffer also and in some cases, children ending up to be living on the streets resulting in street children and poor performance in school, in some cases children even drop out of school. Gender based violence is mostly inflicted by men on women. Women are the most victims of gender-based violence and this leads children to be exposed to different forms of violence. This is so because most of the time women are always with the children.

When young children are exposed to violence in the community and in their families, their behavior out comes is questionable. According to the ministerial, report by the Minister of Gender 2015 states, “Children who witness or are the victims of violence may learn to believe that violence is a reasonable way to resolve conflict between people. Boys who learn that women are not to be valued or respected and who see violence directed against women are more likely to abuse women when they grow up.

Keywords: Gender, Gender based violence, Child development, Impact, Witnessing, Hearing.

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