The Zambia Information and Communication Authority (ZICTA) has trained over 120 judges, magistrates, and police officials in cyber security in an effort to improve prosecution of cases involving this crime.

Choolwe Nalubamba, ZICTA director general, made the announcement at the opening of the Information and Communications Technology Hub for Women and Girls in the Chisamba district of the Central Province.

Nalubamba said the communications regulator trained 120 judges, magistrates, and police officers on the best ways to detect and investigate cyber security threats.

"ZICTA also hosted, in the Eastern Province secondary schools, a Girls ICT Indaba that attracted over 300 girls who subsequently received mentorship sessions with a view to stimulate and help them to take up STEM-related programmes and courses," according to Nalubamba.

ZICTA collaborated with UNDP and received financing from Swedish and Irish governments to build an ICT hub for women and girls in Chisamba.

The centre was developed as part of the Zambia/UN collaborative effort on online gender-based violence, which also aims to bridge the gender digital divide.

"The launch signifies a pivotal step founded on collective efforts towards a safe and more inclusive digital space, thereby playing a critical role in advancing understanding of the challenges faced by women and girls in the online sphere," Cornelius Mweetwa, acting minister of science and technology, said.

Zambia's National ICT Policy, unveiled last year by President Haikande Hichilema, includes measures to combat online gender-based abuse and eliminate the gender divide in technology.