Maria David
THE Namibian Government recognizes the vital role of women and will continue to intensify the fight against sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated against them.
President Hage Geingob made the statement on the Day of the Namibian Women and International Human Rights Day celebrated Friday under the theme “Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights”.
He said Namibian women and children need protection, to help create a safer and more prosperous Namibian house that is free from regressive societal practices.
“We should therefore act to empower women and the girl child, without leaving behind the boy child, to end deeply-rooted forms of discrimination that affect most of our vulnerable people.”
The President said the heroic deeds of women are celebrated, such as Kakurukaze Mungunda who in 1959 with other fearless Namibian women resisted the forced removal of people from the Old Location to Katutura by the South African apartheid regime.
He called on Namibians to unite and promote equality where all members of society feel valued, equal and respected regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, class and religion.
They should continue to embrace multilateralism to find lasting solutions to common threats facing the human race.
Namibians are to uphold and respect the rule of law, as well as embrace the principles of equality and non-discrimination which are at the centre of human rights.
Geingob urged Namibians to reflect on the intent of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to which they are signatories as a nation.
“The declaration sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms that all should enjoy in dignity,” the president said.
