Women’s Voices: Plural, Varied, Amplified
– Martha Mukaiwa If there’s any doubt that Namibia’s social justice evolution is queer, one need only witness the wave of a rainbow flag below Windhoek’s bronze statue of Namibia’s founding father as Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe yells a slogan that is often a prelude to pearl-clutching. “My koekie, my keus!” A translation of what the gender-non-binary intersectional activist and author is shouting as protesters raise wire hangers in the air ahead… Keep Reading
– Zorena Jantze 29-year-old Zelda Goases has spent the last 12 weeks studying to be a paramedic. She wants to help people and save lives. But recently, this dream was left hanging in the balance after a kiss with a same-sex peer came with unexpected ramifications. Now, she spends her days in limbo in the confines of her room after what she perceived as a good luck peck between friends…. Keep Reading
– Venicia Shanjenka Namibia, like many African countries, is plagued by the coercive practice of child marriage. The matter remains a concern because of weak efforts from public servants and civil society to address outdated practices. Children are deprived of their right to education, health, and safety as a result of forced marriages. Forced marriage is when an adult or traditional elder coerces a child into entering a marriage and,… Keep Reading
– Article taken from our partners at Blog4SDG’s I am Georges, I was called “Lady” and I am going to tell you what happened inside my head. On March 8th 2021, I went out for a ride with my Suzuki motorbike as I like to do when I have some free time. That day I took the direction of Katutura and wanted to visit the open air market. On my… Keep Reading
– Zorena Jantze SITTING by the reception desk of the Rights Not Rescue Trust’s (RNRT) office, Daniel Ashanti Koos spends the quiet winter morning basking in the little sunlight that streams in through the front window. The transwoman, who is currently in the midst of a court battle, was last year thrust into the limelight when a video of her being tied up to a chair and then whipped by… Keep Reading
– Thembi Kandanga Women have come a long way in gaining and maintaining their financial autonomy, but the playing field is far from level. A woman’s ability to make decisions about their money – this is the premise of financial autonomy for women. I truly believe that can only be achieved through financial literacy for young girls and women. Focusing literacy efforts on girls in high school and university is… Keep Reading
– Nghidimondjila Hashikutuva On 11 June 2020, psychological counsellor and activist Beauty Boois started a petition on change.org, demanding the legalisation of abortion on demand in Namibia, and the liberalisation of abortion laws in the country. However, despite its success (the petition received over 60,000 signatures in less than a month), and the extensive nationwide debate on reproductive rights and justice that followed, Namibia still has not seen any legal… Keep Reading
– Nghidimondjila Hashikutuva “One day during our rotation, a lecturer pulled away my scrubs without my permission, to see my tattoo. Luckily, I was wearing a t-shirt underneath, so he was not able to see anything,” recounts a medical student at the University of Namibia (UNAM) School of Medicine. *Josephine, now a sixth year student at UNAM, says that at first, she did not “think too much of it” until… 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
