NKURENKURU – About 26 community and church leaders from various villages in the Kavango West region received training to combat gender-based violence.

The training was facilitated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and funded by Reach Namibia Project.

The workshop was held from Monday to Thursday last week in Nkurenkuru.

The project aims to increase knowledge and skills in preventing and responding to GBV.

Reach Namibia’s gender advisor Rozalina Paulo said the training is aimed at empowering the gatekeepers with information to promote peace, equality and respect.

“Our aim is to have traditional and religious leaders to effectively combat and prevent occurrences of domestic violence and GBV, and to strengthen GBV referral systems in traditional authorities and congregations in Kavango West,” she said.

She added that the goal is to have traditional and religious leaders use their influence in communities to change people’s mindsets, promote positive gender norms, provide support to survivors of GBV, raise awareness about the harmful effects of GBV and harmful practices, and advocate for laws and policies that protect women and girls.

Mukoya Dagobert from the Mbunza Traditional Authority said the training was worthwhile. 

“Community leaders are faced with challenges on how to handle GBV, and we have so many children suffering because of GBV,” he said.

He noted that the engagement with the church and community leaders is part of a broader effort and support in implementing measures to protect women, boys and girls from their perpetrators, who are people they trust, and who are supposed to protect them.

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na