Women’s Voices: Plural, Varied, Amplified
– Frieda Ndeutala Kaunapawa Mukufa Coming from a black household that is deeply Christian and is highly embedded into culture and tradition, the topic of abortion is a no go at the table of discussion. It is often shunned upon to even fathom the idea that a woman should feel the need and choose to terminate a pregnancy because she feels like it. With this practice, comes the imprisonment of… Keep Reading
– Beatrice Schultz “I can’t concentrate in class because I worry about him: how he is, if he has eaten, if he is ok…” Books clutched to her chest, head down, walking through the corridors hoping not to be seen. The teachers don’t see her, her peers laugh and avoid her. Suddenly she has become a sign of shame in the school. Everyday is a challenge to make it to… Keep Reading
– By Agnes Yeboah Gender diversity in the workplace is not a big ask. It is a small and simple goal. It is the basic ambition of having an equal number of men and women in an organisation. Also known as gender parity, it can specifically be defined as having an equal number of men and women hired at a similar rate, compensated equally for the same job, and given… Keep Reading
– Bertha Tobias Young Namibian women are currently picking up the baton of revolutionary social change as it pertains to gender equality in the Land of the Brave. They currently self-determine in ways that our foremothers could have only dreamed for them. Importantly, they are running through the left-over shards of the glass ceiling which has been shattered by the sheroes who came before us. When I reflect on the… Keep Reading
– Bertha Tobias “Without community, there is no liberation.” Poet warrior and feminist Audre Lorde’s sentiment speaks to the power of communities to actualise significant socio-cultural changes. Lorde’s statement reminds us that community is responsible for culture and, by extension, the ways in which it governs our everyday lives. More often than not, culture shapes our worldviews and decides our perceptions long before we have the chance to do so… Keep Reading
– Helen Harris & Gina Figueira, StArt Art Gallery In 2020 and 2021 Sister Namibia ran an Artists Activation project that commissioned artists to make new work related to feminism in Namibia. Working as curators on this project was an intense and gratifying experience. The parameters were broad enough that the artists we worked with did not feel restricted by them, but the direction and purpose was clear. The resulting exhibition… Keep Reading
– Helen Harris & Gina Figueira, StArt Art Gallery The art world globally has committed what Nanette Salomon terms “Sins of Omission”. Most art history canons prioritise male artists in their writings. Revised editions often try to rectify this by including sections on ‘female impressionists’ or ‘female sculptors’. This only serves to further mark the perceived difference between ‘artists’ (male artists) and ‘female artists’. It is an example of how… Keep Reading
– Martha Mukaiwa The story of the Covid-19 pandemic is one the world is still writing. For the most part, we are familiar with the main characters, plot points and life-saving weapons. The deadly virus that has resulted in over 160 million confirmed cases and 3.3 million deaths. The exhausted and haunted healthcare workers constantly pleading with the world to stay home, protect themselves and others. The sanitizers, masks, vaccines… Keep Reading
– Martha Mukaiwa When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, *Diamond, a domestic worker in Swakopmund, was relieved to have another way to earn an income during Namibia’s prolonged lockdown. In 2017, she had augmented her wages as a hotel housekeeper and part-time domestic worker with the sale of dried fish. Diamond returned to this trade as her various employers, fearful of the virus, sent her home. “My dear, you have to… Keep Reading
