Gender violence is a crisis

The executive director of the ministry of health, Ben Nangombe, said gender-based violence in the country has reached epidemic proportions. He also said it is sad that the health sector has not fully defined its role beyond the clinical treatment of GBV patients.“Healthcare providers may be the first people in whom a survivor confides and speaks about the violation they experienced. “The health sector is thus in most cases an entry point by survivors to formal service provision,” said Nangombe who was speaking during the launch of the Clinical Handbook for Survivors Subjected to Intimidate and or Sexual Violence. “GBV remains a key challenge for many countries in Africa despite declaration on equality by the heads of state in 2004. “However, we are witnesses to GBV and other forms of violence at home, at schools and in the communities we live.”Nangombe also said there is a need to determine the availability of social workers in relation to the population.“GBV has now become an epidemic and social workers are the foot soldiers. “We need to know how many are available and how many we must have as a country,” said Nangombe. The UNFPA representative Dennia Gayle said at the same event that gender equality and the full enjoyment of human rights remains a serious challenge for millions of women and girls. According to her, there is growing evidence that acts of violence against women are not isolated events but rather form a pattern of behaviour that violates the rights of women and girls, limits their participation in society and damages their health and well-being.“GBV is deeply entrenched in the socio-cultural norms which in turn undermine women's decision-making power, and contributes to women's poor health outcomes, maternal mortality and HIV infection,” said Gayle. Gayle believes that the handbook will strengthen the health sector's response to violence against women and will provide specific evidence-based guidance that can help to streamline the way healthcare providers respond to women who have experienced violence. JEMIMA BEUKES

Gender violence is a crisis

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Gender violence is a crisis

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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