Government to tackle gender-based violence

VIOLENCE against women and girls will be tackled head-on and the line ministry has set up a national database to determine the root causes of violence, a Government Minister says.

This was spelled out by the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Marlene Mungunda, when she delivered a ministerial statement in the National Assembly yesterday. She said the Ministry had also established a National Gender-Based Violence Committee to come up with proper strategies.”The database on gender violence will help Government to understand and identify proper interventions.”In 2005, some 347 rape cases against girls were reported to the Police and 12 cases of boys who had been sodomised.The highest number of rapes was reported in the Khomas Region between 2002 and 2005, Mungunda stated, with 180 cases in 2004 and 154 in 2005.In 2002, the Police recorded 17 rape cases and in the next year 161 cases were reported.Total figures increased from 763 cases nationwide in 2002 to 931 cases by 2005, Mungunda told the House.Rape cases increased in Hardap, Kavango, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa, but declined in the Caprivi, where between 34 cases (2002) and 25 rapes (2004 and 2005) were recorded.In the Oshana Region, reported rape cases also decreased – from 107 cases in 2002 to 68 in 2005.In Erongo, rape cases dropped from 67 (2002) to 56 two years ago.Mungunda lauded community efforts like Namibian Men for Change (Namec), which has 38 affiliated groups of men and school-based clubs for boys to encourage better behaviour towards women and girls.The White Ribbon movement has 1 500 active male members.”They meet monthly and plan to open offices in six more regions,” the Minister stated.The Ministry will hold a national conference on Tuesday to identify violence patterns and to develop action and follow-up mechanisms.She said the Ministry had also established a National Gender-Based Violence Committee to come up with proper strategies.”The database on gender violence will help Government to understand and identify proper interventions.”In 2005, some 347 rape cases against girls were reported to the Police and 12 cases of boys who had been sodomised.The highest number of rapes was reported in the Khomas Region between 2002 and 2005, Mungunda stated, with 180 cases in 2004 and 154 in 2005.In 2002, the Police recorded 17 rape cases and in the next year 161 cases were reported.Total figures increased from 763 cases nationwide in 2002 to 931 cases by 2005, Mungunda told the House.Rape cases increased in Hardap, Kavango, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa, but declined in the Caprivi, where between 34 cases (2002) and 25 rapes (2004 and 2005) were recorded.In the Oshana Region, reported rape cases also decreased – from 107 cases in 2002 to 68 in 2005.In Erongo, rape cases dropped from 67 (2002) to 56 two years ago.Mungunda lauded community efforts like Namibian Men for Change (Namec), which has 38 affiliated groups of men and school-based clubs for boys to encourage better behaviour towards women and girls.The White Ribbon movement has 1 500 active male members.”They meet monthly and plan to open offices in six more regions,” the Minister stated.The Ministry will hold a national conference on Tuesday to identify violence patterns and to develop action and follow-up mechanisms.