VICE-President Mutale Nalumango has challenged women to rise up and be counted in as far as politics is concerned because they are more selfless and motherly by nature.

And Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland has expressed concern over the levels of violence in both the public domain and domestic settings.

Speaking when the visiting Commonwealth Secretary General paid a courtesy call on her, Thursday, Vice-President Nalumango expressed disappointment at the low participation of women in the last elections owing to the hostile environment before and during the electoral process.

She said despite all the challenges, women needed to rise to the occasion and take up the mantle as leaders.

Vice-President Nalumango said this was because women were more selfless and motherly by nature.

She further urged women to take a leaf from men who interact more and effectively partner to do great things.

Vice-President Nalumango cited examples of the UPND which fielded only one female parliamentary candidate in Luapula and none in Northern Province, stating that it should not be the case going forward.

And in response, Scotland congratulated Vice-President Nalumango for ascending to the Vice Presidency and for being the second female Vice-President of Zambia.

Scotland expressed concern about violence not only in the public domain but in domestic settings.

She stated that at global level, one in every three women experience violence and that with the rise of COVID-19, there had been an increase of up to 500% in domestic violence cases.

The Secretary General reminded all countries including Zambia to take stringent measures to address the scourge.

She further pledged support from the Commonwealth to the UPND-led government and assured the Vice-President of strong partnership in the promotion and attainment of gender parity across sectors.