Windhoek
Over 10 000 cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) were registered with the Namibian Police over the past three years, with common assault, rape and assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH) topping the list.
The highest number of GBV cases was recorded in 2014, with 4 714 cases reported compared to 3 847 in 2013 and 2 581 cases in 2015. In total 10 142 GBV cases were reported for the period 2013-2015. Surprisingly, fewer than 60 cases of murder were reported over the same period.
These figures were presented to all regional governors by the acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Martha Mbombo, during a consultative meeting on GBV and the commemoration of International Women’s Day on Friday.
The meeting intended to explore ways in which regional governors can play a role in combating GBV in their respective regions.
Statistics on reported rape cases show that the Khomas Region topped the list with 371 cases, while Kunene had 362 and in Otjozondjupa 314 rape cases were reported between 2012 and 2015.
A total of 1 896 adult suspects and 176 juveniles were arrested countrywide during this period.
Namibia is a signatory to international and regional instruments relevant to GBV, such as the United National Convention on the Rights of the Children and the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms Discrimination against Women. Namibia is also a signatory to the Protocol on the Convention against Transnational Organised Crime to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, and has also signed the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
However, Mbombo noted that laws alone will not prevent crimes, hence more needs to be done and preventive measure put in place.
Mbombo further said all regions and constituencies should establish GBV and Human Rights clusters and identify GBV activities that can be implemented at regional and constituency level, following the recommendations of the 2nd GBV conference.
Director in the Directorate Child Welfare Services Helena Andjamba presented a report on violence against children and listed forms of violence against children, including child marriage, trafficking, labour and child abuse amongst others. She said children who are exposed to any type of violence may have difficulty in learning and progression later in life.
“They have poor concentration… They have limited social skills and exhibit violent, risky or delinquent behaivour.
“These children come into conflict with law. They drop out of school. They become vulnerable, because they are not strong and do not have resilience to say ‘no’ and can be abused over and again,” she remarked.
Based on 2011 census figures, Andjamba indicated that the Kunene has the highest number of child labourers in the country, with nearly 1 500 children between the ages of 8 and 11 years old recorded as working. This is followed by Kavango East and West with 814 and Ohangwena with 678 child labourers.
With regard to children between the ages of 12 and 19 years old married traditionally, Kavango Region was on top, with 1 259 teenagers married, followed by Ohangwena with 482 minors, while Zambezi had 479 cases of child marriage.
Additionally, Andjamba said of these child marriages 2 406 girls were married in rural areas, compared to 837 girls in urban areas.
“Interestingly, it is not only girls married but boys included,” she remarked. Over 1 100 minor males in rural areas were married traditionally, as well as 472 males in urban areas.
According to the same census, many girls aged 12 to 19 years had one or more children. Kavango Region had 3 653 young mothers. Khomas Region had 1 944 and Ohangwena 1 802 girls with one or more children.
Gender equality minister Doreen Sioka said GBV is not only her ministry’s concern, but a national concern, which requires a multi-sectoral approach at all levels of society if it is to be eliminated. Sioka said leaders at all levels should be committed if they are to develop the economy, prevent GBV and respond to all forms of violence in the communities: “Let us go out there, mobilise our men and boys to advocate on our behalf and for our women and girls to rally behind us and to mobilise all our communities to address all the causes of GBV and to eliminate it from the country.”
She told the governors to make sure they promote programmes empowering women, men, boys and girls. Let us fight the plight of poverty and ensure that no one is left out.”
Sioka is hopeful the consultative meeting will help produce practical strategies and plans that they can implement in various regions, constituencies and villages in the fight against GBV.