Governor calls on traditional leaders to help report GBV

The governor of the Kavango West region, Sirkka Ausiku, says Namibia should reaffirm its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, particularly those of women and girls, without forgetting about the boy child.

Ausiku said this during the commemoration of the Day of the Namibian Women and International Human Rights Day at Nkurenkuru in Kavango West on Friday.

International Human Rights Day is commemorated on 10 December every year, and Namibia also marks the day as the Day of the Namibian Women.

The day coincides with the date in 1959 when residents of the Old Location in Windhoek tried to resist being forcefully moved to Katutura, leading to the killing of about a dozen people by the South African authorities then governing Namibia.

The day was observed this year under the theme ‘Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All’.

Ausiku said the day’s theme is a powerful and timely reminder of the importance of upholding the rights and dignity of every individual in Namibia, regardless of sex, gender, race or background.

“As we commemorate this day, we should reflect on the issue of gender-based violence (GBV) in our society. Let us stand together, both men and women, to fight this social evil,” said Ausiku in a speech delivered on her behalf.

“Therefore, I am encouraging all of us, especially our traditional leaders, to assist families to report cases of GBV to the authorities and let us offer our support to the victims,” she said.

She also said although the number of GBV cases reported in Kavango West is not high, the statistics do not reflect what is happening on the ground.

“As we mark this occasion, let us take a moment to recognise the invaluable contributions of Namibian women to our society and acknowledge the challenges they continue to face. Their resilience and determination inspire us to work tirelessly towards achieving gender equality and justice for all,” said Ausiku.