Julia Kamarenga 

GOBABIS - The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Social Development and Family Affairs took to the Omaheke Region this week to conduct public hearings on motions on gender-based violence and high rates of suicide in Namibia.

Functions of the committee include ensuring that government promotes and maintains a sustainable social welfare system for its citizens and that all legislations passed by the National Assembly embody the principle of equality between men and women.

The meetings are seeking to hear from the communities the causes of social injustices such as gender-based violence, suicide and other social ills and how that could be resolved.

Opening the floor for discussions was Chief Ditshabue of the 
Bakgalagadi Traditional Authority, who blamed the use of alcohol as the main cause of social ills such as the killings, rapes and domestic violence, which are on the rise and affecting Namibian communities and the nation at large.
The chief also put an emphasis on how traditional home-brewed alcohol is fast affecting his community too. He said most consumers of such alcohol take it on empty stomachs and consume a lot of it because it is cheap and affordable to many.
“Unemployment has frustrated our people to the extent of them diverging to the use of alcohol in the quest of forgetting troubles that are awaiting them at their homes, but eventually when they face them they become defensive and violent towards those around them,” said Chief Ditshabue. 

The chief therefore called for job creation to cater for the high percentage of unemployed people.
On the issue of killings, many participants blamed authorities for not taking stricter measures against offenders and perpetrators, and echoed the re-introduction of death penalty.

Another pertinent concern was that of the so-called ‘new churches’ which the community believes are causing chaos and dividing families by making young people devalue their traditions and beliefs. This, participants say, leads young people into being disrespectful towards their elders.