LUSAKA, Zambia (Xinhua) — Zambia launched 16 days of activism against gender-based violence with President Edgar Lungu calling for a stop to the escalating cases in the country.

Lungu said during the launch in Kafue town, east of Lusaka, the country’ s capital that his government was committed to increasing funding to projects aimed at fighting the scourge which was becoming a menace in society.

The Zambian leader, who expressed sadness over recent reports of women killing their husbands, especially in the capital, urged couples to hold their peace, saying they should employ dialogue in their differences.

The Zambian capital has witnessed incidents of wives killing their husbands in bizarre circumstances in recent days, with the latest being two days ago when a 20-year-old wife axed her husband to death while he was fast asleep. Five women have so far been arrested.

Lungu has since urged the Ministry of Finance to include gender mainstreaming in their budgeting processes, which he said was not the case in previous budgets.

Meanwhile, the women’s movement said gender-based violence was becoming a national disaster and condemned recent incidents of women killing their husbands.

The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC), a consortium of women’s organisations, said it was unfortunate that women were now in the forefront of killing their husbands, adding that the trend needed to stop.

According to figures, Zambia recorded 4,235 cases of gender-based violence in the first nine months of this year.

The United Nations spent US$8.4 million in 2014 and 2015 to help Zambia fight gender-based violence.

During the 16 days, various programmes will be conducted throughout the country to sensitise people on the problem of gender-based violence.