Men beg to be ‘saved’

The men who attended a national conference in Ongwediva begged parents to do better in their children’s upbringing to avoid some of the crimes committed by their gender in Namibia.The conference, which aims to end gender-based violence (GBV), began on Tuesday and ended on Friday.Constable Hoster Kaine of the Ongwediva Police Station urged parents not to neglect their children, saying the majority of parents are selfish and don’t provide the best opportunities for their offspring. Many boys younger than 20 who commit crimes lack knowledge on how to survive and navigate life, as they dropped out of school, he said."If they dropped out of school and they start hustling, as they call it, some end up sexually involved with students at tertiary institutions. When the student graduates, they leave the boyfriend because they realise they are not on the same level," he said, adding that out of anger, these men then commit crimes such as murder."Education should play a role," he said.Right timeOngwediva mayor Taarah Shalyefu said this is the right time to host this event because they read and hear sad news of violence perpetuated against men, women and children every day.According to him, assumptions are made that violence is caused by excessive use of intoxicating substances, while some incidents might have a direct connection to economic factors and others might have originated from cultural myths."This conference is a fitting platform to interrogate the causes of GBV amongst our people and perhaps propose possible solutions to end this social evil. As we interrogate the matter, I would like us to approach it with open minds and without prejudice. This will help participants get to the core of the matter and bring forth unbiased recommendations," he said.Namibians should be mindful that they live in a technologically advanced world where young girls and boys are exposed to external influences, he said, adding that using involved parenting as a tool to develop a responsible nation should not be overlooked.Long overdueDeputy minister of marginalised communities, Royal /Ui/o/oo said the conference has long been overdue.Despite the enactment and adoption of various legislation and policies geared towards ending GBV in Namibia, women and girls—and, to some extent, men and boys—remain vulnerable to abuse, he said.He added that it is estimated that one third of children in Namibia are subjected to violence each year."The violence perpetrated against children has significant, immediate, long-lasting, and potentially irreversible effects on a child’s life, well-being, brain development, and overall mental health. These social ills further expose children to infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other harmful sexually transmitted diseases," /Ui/o/oo said.A demographic health survey stated that one in every four young women are survivors of intimate partner violence, while 85% of sexual and GBV survivors are women, he said.Meanwhile, 93% of the perpetrators of intimate partner violence are men, it said.The deputy minister labelled this as a "worrisome situation" as most violence is caused by "us men".tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Men beg to be ‘saved’

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Men beg to be ‘saved’

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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