According to the CIVICUS Monitor, civic space in Zambia is rated as “obstructed”. Zambia is one of the few countries in the Southern African region and Africa in general that have a stable democracy. It has experienced regular elections and the peaceful transfer of power from one government to another since independence. However, over the past years, Zambia’s democracy has been threatened by attacks on and harassment, intimidation, arrests and prosecution of HRDs, CSOs, activists and the media.

The Public Order Act, which regulates public gatherings, has been criticised for violating the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. Among its restrictions are the excessive discretion granted to the police and the mandatory requirement to notify the authorities of a public gathering. In 2022, the Zambia Development Law Commission began the process of receiving comments from the public regarding this Act.  

For more information about the country, visit: https://monitor.civicus.org/country/zambia/ 

Map: