Protecting Namibia's Children: From Paper Promises to Real Action

In 2023, a pupil (14) at a Walvis Bay primary school broke her silence, exposing the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her teacher (33). It took immense courage to speak out against someone in a position of authority over her, in what should have been a safe space. However, her story is not unique. This year alone, hundreds of similar cases have occurred across Namibia. A day hardly goes by without the media reporting on cases of rape, sexual assault and other nauseating acts perpetrated against children – both girls and boys. More shocking is the fact that this is becoming the norm, something society has sadly grown more accustomed to. News reports are filled with details of the violence being done to children, yet we simply get on with our day, instead of having public discussions and urging the government to act. Are the authorities waiting for this to reach breaking point before they realise it requires urgent intervention?The vulnerability of children has been used to manipulate and violate them in various ways. Violence against children can be emotional, physical or mental. Recent cases indicate that children are being exploited in spaces that should serve as a protective shield, such as schools and homes. Often, they are abused by the very people entrusted to care for them. Violence against children affects their lifelong health and well-being. This includes physical injuries and the deeper psychological trauma that affects them for the rest of their lives. The impact of this trauma is seen in anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, difficulty in forming healthy relationships and behavioural problems, such as aggression, social withdrawal, and drug and alcohol abuse. Affected children often find it difficult to concentrate at school, which may lead to an increase in school dropouts. In turn, these children grow up as broken individuals and could eventually end up on the streets, where they will either beg or commit crime to survive. Can we really blame them when the system has failed to protect them from harm?The data presents an unsettling image of the safety of Namibia’s children: In 2019, 1 041 rape and attempted rape cases against children were reported. This accounted for nearly 40% of all rape cases in Namibia, according to the Namibian Police Crime Report. According to the Legal Assistance Centre’s Gender Research and Advocacy Project, between 2016 and 2020, approximately 30% of rape cases involved victims younger than 18. The majority of the offenders were people known to the victims. More alarmingly, according to Unicef’s 2020 assessment of violence against children in Namibia, many cases remain unreported due to family pressure and social stigma. This indicates that the true scope of the crisis is larger than official figures represent. Although the Namibian Constitution, under Article 15, protects children, this is more of a vision than a reality. Article 15 states, among other things, the right to a name, the right to nationality, protection from economic exploitation of children under the age of 16, and protection of children under the age of 14 from child labour. Namibia also signed the Convention on the Rights of Children in 1990, which forms part of the country’s national legal system. The convention includes regulations on the protection of children and stipulates that the interests of children must be a top priority in all activities that affect them. Namibia has also ratified the African Union’s African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which includes freedom of expression, the right to best attainable health, and protection against child abuse and torture. In addition, Namibia has also signed the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Although Namibia has signed these conventions, implementation remains unconvincing. Countries like Sweden and Norway (which rank among the top countries worldwide for child welfare) see children as the greatest asset of a nation, hence they have strong policies, implementation strategies and severe consequences for anyone that goes against the rules. These policies ensure that children are indeed the safest individuals in society. This is evident in the low incidence of the violation of children’s rights.Namibia should look at other countries’ laws and policies and make legal amendments to better protect the country’s children. Lawmakers must implement strict laws and policies to safeguard children from all forms of abuse, both at home and in school. The authorities should conduct training sessions with teachers and parents on appropriate discipline methods, and facilitate public discussions on the matter. The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Child Welfare must normalise regular inspections and monitoring of schools to detect signs of abuse, as well as implement increased collaboration with community advocates, non-governmental organisations and social service organisations to raise awareness and resources for the protection of children. Anyone who violates a child’s rights in any way does not deserve a chance in society. Therefore, perpetrators of child abuse should be held accountable and given strict and lengthy sentences. This will serve as justice for the victims. It is time the authorities see Namibia’s children as an asset, not simply in theory but in action. Children represent the future of our country; they are the embodiment of our aspirations and ambitions for a greater future. Thus, protecting children against all kinds of abuse must be a national priority. Dalia Nantinda holds a Bachelor of English and Linguistics honours degree from the University of Science and Technology. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in Public Policy and Management at the International University of Management.

Protecting Namibia's Children: From Paper Promises to Real Action

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-21

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Protecting Namibia's Children: From Paper Promises to Real Action

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-21

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