From the Ballot Box to Real Protection for Namibia’s Women

Namibian Women have spoken; they have done so in numbers. Yet, they are still dying.

Statistics from the Electoral Commission of Namibia show that women made up 54% of registered voters for the 2024 national elections.

In short, more than 784 000 women participated in shaping this country’s future.

Despite Namibia’s progressiveness, with women well represented in the political arena, they remain disproportionately affected by violence, inequality and a lack of protection.

No matter how many laws we pass, protests, or promises we make, the reality remains painfully clear: Namibian women are dying and the system continues to fail them.

Our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends are not safe.

It has been little more than a month since the tragic killing of Roswinds Fabianu (6) and Beyoncé !Kharuxas (15), yet this month the number of victims of sexual and gender-based violence has tripled.

REPRESENTATION AND REALITY

Women hold an estimated 60% of parliamentary seats.

There is legislation aimed at tackling gender-based-violence (GBV), such as the Domestic Violence Act, the Combating of Rape Act, and a ministry dedicated to child welfare and gender equality.

We have a national vision that reinforces commitments to tackling GBV.

Yet, despite these efforts, violence continues to destroy lives.

This indicates it is not a lack of policies or awareness that is killing women – it’s the failure to implement policies fully and effectively.

The names Maasdorp, Fabianu, Stofffels, !Kharuxas, Seibes, Ujaha, Wasserfall and all other victims of these heinous crimes are not just tragic headlines.

They were young people whose lives were cut short.

Their deaths are not isolated incidents – they are a national emergency.

The task force appointed by the president is a step in the right direction but it must not stop there.

If we are to truly remember those we have lost, and to protect those who remain, we need bold and immediate action.

There are three urgent steps Namibia can take, inspired by my recent webinar held under the African Union Students Platform.

• Declare a Crisis and Mobilise Society Namibia must declare femicide a national emergency to trigger urgent, coordinated action across a broad range of sectors: Health, education, justice and security.
  
• But real change starts within society.
  
• Communities need safe spaces, counselling, legal support and protection services accessible at schools, hospitals, churches and homes.
  
• Ending femicide isn’t just about arrests, it requires a cultural shift where harmful norms are rejected and everyone, especially men and boys, becomes part of the solution.
• Strengthen Enforcement and Track the Crisis Namibia has made progress in tightening bail conditions and introducing minimum mandatory sentences for gender-based crimes. Yet, implementation remains inconsistent.
• To ensure justice is swift, certain, and survivor-centred, we must fast-track these reforms and expand specialised GBV courts to every region.
• Equally critical is establishing a national Femicide Watch, an independent body to collect, analyse and publicly report on gender-based killings.
• Without transparent data, prevention remains out of reach.
  
• Exposing systemic failures and harmful practices – especially those masked as tradition – will help drive lasting accountability and change.
• Strengthen Systems and Mainstream Prevention Namibia’s GBV Protection Units play a vital role in supporting survivors but they must be fully staffed, well-trained and properly equipped to respond with empathy, urgency and respect – not judgement or delay.
  At the same time, GBV cannot be tackled in isolation.
• It is deeply linked to poverty, education, housing and land access.
  
• Every national development plan – from economic policy to land reform – must embed GBV prevention to address the root causes and build a safer society.

CLOSING THE GAP

Namibian women are voting. They are leading. They are also dying.

One femicide is one too many.

We cannot continue to lose lives to a system that says all the right things but does too little.

We must ensure that we are at the forefront of closing the gap between political participation and the effective protection of fundamental human rights. 

• LapakaSheya Shapaka is a women commissioner representative for the African Union Students Platform.

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