The Landless People’s Movement (LPM)’s student command wants parliament to introduce strict laws to address the escalating cases and killings related to gender-based violence.
The LPM’s student leader, Duminga Ndala, said perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) should also be handed heavy penalties to discourage people from committing similar crimes.
In an interview with The Namibian last week, Ndala condemned several recent incidents in which local women were allegedly murdered by their intimate partners.
She stated that the police and other law-enforcement agencies should also treat all gender-based violence cases reported to them seriously to protect the victims.
If the police start treating GBV cases seriously, it will encourage more women to speak out and report such cases, which could reduce GBV-related killings.
“The LPM student command condemns the killing and rape culture that is escalating in Namibia. We feel that it is uncalled for, and we want the laws in place to be strengthened so that they are favourable for both genders and protects the victims.
“There is a need for constructive dialogue in our communities, and all stakeholders must come on board so that we can identify the root causes of GBV. We should also have programmes aimed at empowering women in society so that they can be able to speak out against GBV,” she said, adding that GBV offenders should be heavily dealt with.
Ginola Nauseb – another LPM student command member – called on parents to put in more efforts in the grooming of their children to address the root causes of GBV.
“There is generally a lack of father figures in our society. That element of teaching a young boy how to respect women and how to be more understanding is lacking. The upbringing of the boy child is one of the root factors which contribute to GBV. And this notion of misdirected patriarchy that men have, must die.
Nudo secretary-general Joseph Kauandenge also condemned the brutal killings of women at the hands of men. He said in a statement issued last week that violence committed against sexual partners was unacceptable for and that such lawlessness should be discouraged and rooted out from society with immediate effect. Kauandenge thus called for the reintroduction of religious and moral education in schools “in order for them to understand what is right and wrong in their formative years”.
“We call upon all men to desist from killing and raping women, as we are supposed to protect our women and children. Passion killings are a cry for a society that is in dire need of a moral compass, a society that is lost and needs spiritual intervention,” he continued.