OTJIWARONGO – The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Health and Social Welfare is meeting in Otjiwarongo this week to discuss issues related to access to health services, gender equality and the social welfare of women, children and other vulnerable groups.
Committee chairperson Nono Katjingisiua yesterday said the committee decided to hold this workshop to deepen its understanding of these issues, review challenges and identify priority areas for oversight visits.
“The committee is tasked with ensuring the physical, emotional and social well-being of our people,” she stated.
The committee is responsible for investigating and making recommendations to the National Assembly regarding the provision of health and social services, addressing gender issues and promoting gender equality.
A primary goal of this week’s meeting is to learn about current programmes and policies implemented by government ministries and other organisations.
“Our objective at this meeting is also to identify gaps and challenges service providers face when delivering support to the public,” said Katjingisiua.
The committee aims to understand where existing laws and systems fall short and what legislative, budgetary and monitoring changes Parliament might need to advocate for.
To meet these objectives, various government ministries and institutions are scheduled to present to the committee, including the ministries of gender, education and health, along with the home affairs ministry’s civil registration department, the police’s gender-based violence division and other organisations involved in gender issues.
Otjozondjupa governor John Khamuseb, in his opening speech, urged all committee members to actively participate to ensure the main goal of the meeting is achieved.
He highlighted several challenges his region faces, such as ambulance shortages, lack of medicine in some State hospitals, staff shortages, dilapidated mortuaries, withdrawn social welfare programmes and a high number of suicide cases.
The meetings are scheduled to conclude on Friday.
-Nampa
Photo: Heather Erdmann