Namibia Index | News | Organizations | Resources

Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Namibia
In-Counrty | International

In-Counrty

Namibian Women and Democracy: The 50/50 Campaign
2004
The Women's Environmental and Development Organisation is spearheading a local grassroots campaign to strengthen the role of Namibian women in government and society. The Gender and Governance Program seeks women's full and equal access to all areas and all levels of public life, working toward gender balance in terms of participation and representation, especially in governmental decision-making positions. The Gender and Governance Program focuses on three strategies: raising awareness about the under-representation of women in decision-making positions and the policy difference that women make when represented in critical numbers; spreading a global campaign called 50/50 by 2005: Get the Balance Right!; and developing information resources and advocacy tools on strategies to achieve equal representation in decision-making bodies. Click Here for more information on WEDO or Endorse the Campaign through e-mail.

Sister Namibia: Gender Awareness
2004
Sister Namibia is a non-governmental women's organization based in Windhoek, Namibia. Sister Namibia provides many resources and services to women. The organization coordinates a center that collects materials on gender issues, conducts research and provides training for women on women's leadership, human rights and HIV/AIDS. They also publish a successful bi-monthly magazine called "Sister Namibia." The organization's aim is to increase awareness among women, men and young people of the ways in which political, social, cultural, legal and economic systems of power control girls and women; and to oppose and challenge racism, sexism, homophobia and other discourses and practices that divide and oppress people. Sister Namibia was the first organization in Namibia to become active in defending the human rights of lesbians and gay men. Click Here for more information on Sister Namibia, or Write to Namibian President Nujoma asking him to commit publicly to respect the rights of all Namibians irrespective of their sexual identity and to act with due diligence to protect them from torture and ill-treatment, whether by government forces or private individuals.

International

Stop Domestic Violence and Ensure Protective Legislation for Namibian Women
February 2004
CLAIHR, Canadian Layers for International Human Rights, has establish a new campaign to educate Namibian women and influence domestic legislature to ensure the human rights of women. The aim of this project is to promote conditions in Namibia for the reduction of the incidence of violence against women, and particularly domestic violence, through the education of professionals about gender and violence issues in the context of two new pieces of Namibian legislation. The Combating of Rape Act came into effect in 2000, and a domestic violence bill is currently before the government and is expected to be passed into law in 2002. The goals of the program include: to provide gender sensitization training to professionals who work with women survivors of rape and domestic violence in the context of Namibia’s new legislation and women's rights more generally; to teach professionals who deal with survivors of rape and domestic violence about the provisions of the new rape and domestic violence legislation and the implications of this new legislation for their roles and responsibilities; and to lay a solid groundwork for and promote the implementation of procedures within and between the various professions such that survivors of violence are treated quickly, equitably, in a gender sensitive way and within the parameters of Namibia’s domestic and international obligations. Click Here for more information or contact the project manager, Jennifer Bol.