This study used the 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) data to examine, on one hand, the socio-demographic characteristics associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) and, on the other hand, the relationship between IPV and maternal health care (place of delivery and ANC visits) utilization. The findings indicate that women’s characteristics including marital status, household wealth, witnessing parental violence and attitudes justifying wife beating were significantly associated with reporting experience of IPV. Partner characteristics significantly associated with IPV were alcohol consumption and jealous behaviour. In this study, IPV was not found to be strongly associated with use of maternal health care. The study indicates that gender inequality and problematic cultural norms that privilege men with power over women still exist in Zambia, and thus IPV preventive strategies should incorporate means of toning down such norms to enhance the welfare of women.

Among migrant populations, refugees form one group that is at high risk of becoming stateless. As those responsible for their wellbeing seek to find durable solutions to their plight, identity documents play a critical role. Without proper identity documents, former refugees are at risk of becoming stateless and face many difficulties in accessing various livelihood opportunities including employment, and services such as health care and education. However, acquiring these documents is sometimes wrought with many challenges including administrative, financial and legal challenges. Legal challenges largely arise from the lack of a comprehensive and coordinated approach of how to deal with such cases especially in states that operate outside the UN Conventions on statelessness. Using case studies of former Angolan and Rwandan refugees in Zambia, I argue that in the absence of a clear guiding framework as provided under the UN Conventions provide, former refugees are at risk of becoming stateless even when they are hosted under very hospitable conditions.