The State of the World's Human Rights; Zambia 2025

The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly were repressed. Opposition party members were harassed and intimidated and journalists were arrested. Authorities misused the Public Order Act to curb peaceful protests. Rising living costs and foreign aid cuts jeopardized access to essential services, including HIV treatment and support. LGBTI people and persons with albinism faced ongoing discrimination and barriers to justice. Gender-based violence surged, with more than 10,000 cases reported to the police between January and March. Women and girls remained under-represented in politics and education despite broad public support for gender equality.

Background

In March, OCHA reported that its Drought Flash Appeal for May 2024 to June 2025 had so far benefited 2 million of the 4.6 million people targeted. The appeal was set up to provide a coordinated response to people adversely affected by the El Niño-induced drought.

Freedom of expression and assembly

In June the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression voiced concerns about harassment and intimidation by the police and affiliates of political parties against political opposition members and activists. She raised further concerns about the failure to repeal or amend the colonial-era Public Order Act that continued to be used to suppress peaceful protests.

On 25 January, a rally by the Tonse Alliance (comprising various political parties) was declared illegal by the police on grounds that the organizers had not provided formal notification as required by the Public Order Act.

On 16 May the Socialist Party held a protest in the capital, Lusaka, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the theft of life-saving drugs donated by international aid agencies. Stanley Muba’sa, the party’s youth leader, said that following the protest he was threatened, intimidated and surveilled.

On 11 July the Law Association of Zambia filed a petition before the High Court of Zambia challenging certain provisions in the Cyber Security Act No. 3 of 2025 and the Cyber Crimes Act No. 4 of 2025, arguing that they contravened rights and freedoms protected under the Constitution.

Journalists

On 7 March, Wave FM journalist Hope Chooma was attacked by ruling party supporters while covering an event in Mazabuka town. Police arrested four suspected perpetrators. However, on 23 March, Hope Chooma was also arrested and detained overnight on charges of “assault occasioning actual bodily harm” after one of the suspects lodged a counter-complaint.

On 25 August, journalist Thandizo Banda of The Mast newspaper was arrested and detained for three hours at Chowa police station in the city of Kabwe. He was arrested for taking a photograph of a vehicle transporting the Electoral Commission Chairperson to visit her daughter who was in police custody on murder charges. Thandizo Banda was released after paying an “admission of guilt” fine.

Economic and social rights

While the World Bank predicted that Zambia’s economy would grow by 5.8% following the 2024 drought, concerns persisted about the high cost of living, which was exacerbated by recurring power cuts and fuel price increases.

In May the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection reported that the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (a tool to assess the monthly cost of living and nutritional needs) was ZMW 11,272 (about USD 497), a rise of nearly 20% from 2024. Given that the average monthly income was ZMW 5,369 (about USD 233), most families could not afford basic necessities.

Right to health

The health sector was allocated 10.7% of the national budget, in comparison with 11.8% in 2024. This fell short of the 15% recommended in the Abuja Declaration.

In February, following US government aid cuts, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS reported the closure of 32 drop-in centres in seven of Zambia’s 10 provinces. The centres had provided HIV support services to more than 20,000 persons belonging to key populations living with the virus and receiving antiretroviral therapy. According to the UNAIDS country director, all US government-supported DREAMS programmes, which were part of a global initiative to support adolescent girls and young women living with HIV, and which supported these groups in 22 districts, were shut down. Sixteen other centres providing voluntary male circumcision ceased to operate.

Right to a healthy environment

In September, 176 residents of the town of Chambishi in Copperbelt province sued the Zambian mining company Sino-Metals Leach Ltd after the February collapse of its tailings dam, alleging it resulted in the release of toxic waste into the Mwambashi and Kafue rivers, though its Chinese parent company stated the claim was “clearly unfounded”. According to the lawsuit, approximately 300,000 households that made their living from fishing were affected, while the government identified only 449 affected households. Residents reported suffering respiratory problems, stomach pain, diarrhoea, rashes and eye irritation.

Discrimination

LGBTI people

LGBTI people faced stigma, discrimination and intolerance, particularly from state officials and religious leaders, contributing to exclusion and a climate of fear.

In July the Constitutional Court dismissed the Zambian Civil Liberties Union’s petition seeking to have Sections 155(a)(c) of the Penal Code declared unconstitutional on grounds of discrimination on the basis of sex. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction to consider or adjudicate on an alleged contravention of the Constitution and that the petitioners must defer to the High Court in matters falling under the Bill of Rights.

Persons with albinism

Persons with albinism continued to face discrimination and violent attacks driven by dangerous superstitious misconceptions about the condition.

In March, a report from several Zambian organizations highlighted the barriers experienced by persons with albinism to accessing justice for physical attacks and for violations of their economic, social and cultural rights. Barriers included inadequate legislation to ensure accountability and redress for attacks. There were no legal provisions criminalizing perpetrators for being in possession of body parts belonging to a person with albinism. Even where victims relied on applicable laws to enforce their rights, the investigation and prosecution processes were opaque and ineffective. Pervasive negative perceptions of persons with albinism also proved an obstacle to justice and equality.

Gender-based violence

In April, civil society members, parents, artists and musicians held a protest against the rise in sexual assaults on children. According to the National Crimes Statistics Unit there were 10,170 reported cases of gender-based violence during the first quarter of the year. They included 685 child rape cases, only 224 of which reached court.

Women’s and girls’ rights

In July an Afrobarometer survey found that while more than 70% of Zambians believed in gender equality, only 39% of women accessed secondary education compared to 49% of men. The gap was attributed to the high level of pupils leaving school due to early marriage and pregnancy resulting from gender-based violence. Only 15% of parliamentarians were women.