Namibia’s law states that abortion is legal in cases of rape, incest, or where continuing the pregnancy would threaten the mental or physical health of the mother, or the life of the mother or foetus. The Maputo Protocol, which should form part of Namibia’s domestic law, says the same thing. It also says that African women have the right to choose how many children they have, when they have them,… Keep Reading
Activist carves out safe space for the rainbow community
– 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
Financial Autonomy Through Financial Literacy
– 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
Reproductive Justice and Rights still
– 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
Clinical harassment
– 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
Pleasure & Consent in Comprehensive Sexual Education: towards a feminist curriculum for health workers
– Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja Health work is care work that does not only happen in hospitals and clinics, but it also happens in our homes and places of business. It is a labour and commitment to helping ourselves and others to restore their wellness and encounter healing in the best possible ways. Although this is the ethos, women and non-gender conforming people in Namibia have testified that local health services need… Keep Reading
Journeying through non-binary single parenthood
– Namupa Shivute Over two years ago, I made the decision to work from home. The main reason was to liberate myself from the anti-black and anti-queer spaces of full-time employment. My top priorities were restoring my mental and spiritual health, getting plenty of rest and most excitedly spending more time with my wonderful children. What I did not expect is how this decision would considerably alter the way I… Keep Reading
Evil, in the name of culture
– 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
Young Mother
– 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
Take the lead: journeying toward gender parity
– 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
THE EFFECT OF THE PANDEMIC ON NAMIBIAN WOMEN
– 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
Self-love, Personal Intimacy and Masturbation
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for a lot of people to spend more time by themselves, in their own space, whether through periods of lockdown or isolation or quarantine. A major part of keeping safe during the pandemic has involved social distancing which has changed the way people date and engage in sexual contact with one another and themselves. This has created an opportunity for the sexual exploration… Keep Reading
