WINDHOEK – Rosa Namises, the Director of Women Solidarity Namibia and former MP yesterday expressed disappointment over the fact that no official from the Ministry of Health and Social Services bothered to make themselves available to receive a petition from women who were forcefully sterilized and their supporters.
The women are demanding that the ministry withdraw its appeal lodged after the High court ruling last July that three HIV positive were sterilized without their consent. After waiting for about an hour in vain for officials of the Ministry of Health and Social Services to receive the petition, the group spokesperson, Namises, read out the petition. “We are disappointed that nobody is here to receive the petition. It’s a pity that the minister or the PS (Permanent Secretary) did not come. Where can we go when we need to dialogue, which other door can we knock at? We appeal to them to drop the appeal,” said Namises, before proceeding to read the prepared petition. Since the High Court ruling on July 30 last year no steps were taken to ensure that those responsible for coercively sterilizing women are held accountable to end the practice, said Namises. “Even apart from the court process addressing the fate of the three women, there is still much the government can and should do to ensure those responsible for coercively sterilizing women be held accountable. Yet this has not been done,” she said.
The ministry’s Supreme Court appeal has been set down for hearing on March 12, next year. The protesters, mainly women, numbering about 200 marched from Katutura opposite the Shoprite complex to the health ministry’s headquarters yesterday.
Dressed in t-shirts written “non-negotiable, my body, my womb, my rights” the women also carried posters with messages such as – ‘don’t mess with my reproductive health’ and ‘promote, protect, respect women’s rights’. During the protest march they chanted: ‘Justice delayed is justice denied” and sang songs such as “what have we done?” and “doctors and nurses we want our wombs.” A disappointed protestor, Veronica Kalamba, said: “It shows they are accepting what has been done to us. We are not going to stop until justice prevails.”
“Women who have been sterilized have been waiting too long for justice. Without these changes women will continue to have their rights violated with impunity in Namibian hospitals,” said Namises, who asked the ministry to issue with immediate effect a circular to all hospitals emphasising the right of all women to obtain family planning advice, including sterilisation while reminding medical personnel that informed consent is the only thing required prior to providing women with the desired medical services.
Asked whether the officials in the ministry were aware about the planned protest march, Aivy Rutize of the Namibia Women’s Health Network, the organisation behind the march, said the office of the public relations officer and the office of the Permanent Secretary were informed on Monday, but they (organisers) were send back and forth without being provided a concrete answer.
The organisers however decided to go ahead with the protest march after receiving police approval, Rutize explained to New Era. Neither the Permanent Secretary nor the ministry’s spokesperson could be reached telephonically yesterday afternoon.
By Alvine Kapitako