By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK- City of Windhoek (CoW) Deputy Mayor Mwandhina Hangapo has said men and boys must speak up to end gender-based violence (GBV), which is besieging the nation.
“Violence in any form and towards anyone in Namibia is against the law, and therefore violates the constitutional human rights of those against whom violence is committed. In many instances, victims do not survive to tell the tale. In Namibia, we have a great founding document, the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, which provides for the right to life, dignity and equality before the law for each citizen of our great nation,” she stressed.
The deputy mayor was speaking at a three-day workshop on GBV hosted by GenderLinks Namibia here. The workshop aimed to create a better understanding of sexual orientation and diversity among others, to train GBV survivors and individuals in sharing their experiences of sexual violence and their stories of recovery, to review local GBV actions plans in three councils and communities to promote inclusion and tolerance and to promote media coverage of the activities using both traditional and social media.
“Every day in our neighbourhoods and homes, we witness unprecedented levels of violence, perpetrated on the basis of gender and sexuality and this should stop,” said Hangapo.
In Namibia, 40 percent of females have experienced physical violence compared to 28 percent of their male counterparts, according to a 2009 study on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
The 2011 National Crime Statistics showed that the Namibian Police Force recorded 1 085 reported cases of rape and 277 cases of attempted rape in the same year.
The deputy mayor said in that regard the State has gone further to ensure that the security and autonomy of every person is guaranteed under various laws and policies, among others the bills against domestic violence, protection of children, amending the marriage and inheritance laws, and strengthening the aspects of the rape law.
“We are all here at this meeting to share with each other and deliberate on ways in which we can ensure that people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are not left out from the guarantees of personal freedom and liberty, as provided for in the spirit and letter of our Constitution,” added the deputy mayor.
She said, as council members, they have taken oath to uphold these constitutional provisions, through establishing dialogue with those who feel left out. “We can eventually reach a point where we can ensure that every citizen is protected from violence, regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.”
Hangapo said as Namibia prepares for the post-2015 gender protocol for SADC, this is an apt time to have this conversation so that the issue could be brought to the attention of policy makers and regional forums.
“Challenges faced by our people in everyday life can only be achieved if we can make our neighbourhoods and homes safer for every citizen of this country,” she concluded.