Oshana governor pushes for community-led solutions to GBV

Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari says that all genders feel the pain of gender-based violence (GBV) and should work together to encourage long-term dialogue within communities.Speaking at the Leo Shoopala Community Hall in Oshakati during the launch of the campaign against GBV yesterday, Irimari urged Namibians to read the Bible, which he said condemns GBV and rejects both misogyny and misandry, instead calling for the coexistence of both genders.Irimari said parents should also stop raising their children according to harmful traditional practices that teach girls not to speak back to men.“We are creating a culture that they will always be inferior and any means of method [to discipline them] you can apply to them,” Irimari said, adding that GBV is not a one-way street, as it can be committed by either gender. Irimari urged traditional leaders to host community meetings to engage with their subjects on addressing GBV issues and tackling its root causes.Tackle root causesThe campaign was officially launched on 4 June in Windhoek by the first gentleman Epaphras Ndaitwah, alongside several ministries. The campaign is a flagship part of Namibia’s national GBV response strategy.Speaking at the same occasion, Simon Idipo, chief of campaigns from the information ministry, said the initiative aims to promote a culture of speaking out – particularly encouraging men and women to openly discuss the root causes of GBV and explore community-specific solutions.Emphasis is also being placed on the importance of active bystander intervention under the theme 'See Something, Say Something'.“Silence and inaction continue to fuel gender-based violence in our society. We want to break that cycle by building a national consciousness that no longer looks away,” Idipo said.Idipo said as part of its rollout, regional GBV task forces will conduct community meetings across the country, engaging traditional leaders, councillors, the police, youth groups and residents.“These forums will serve as safe spaces to unpack the social, economic and cultural factors contributing to GBV and propose context-specific responses,” he said.Time to actIdipo said the campaign aims to foster honest and sustained conversations within households, workplaces, friendships, romantic relationships and at the community level, calling on every Namibian to become part of the solution.The campaign comes at a time when Namibia has recorded a surge in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), femicide and human rights violations, prompting a series of youth-led nationwide protests.Last year, the Namibian Police recorded over 4 400 GBV cases, including more than 1 300 rapes.- tuyeimo@nmh-hub.com.na

Oshana governor pushes for community-led solutions to GBV

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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Oshana governor pushes for community-led solutions to GBV

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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