Namibia: New National Plan of Action On Gender-Based Violence in the Works

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is revising its action plan. This plan aims to address the ongoing gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. Lydia Indombo, the ministry's executive director, shared this information at a workshop in Swakopmund.

The workshop focused on a national training resource kit for media practitioners. It was one of several recent gatherings about GBV. Another meeting discussed improving data collection on GBV cases, led by the Namibia Statistics Agency.

Indombo noted that the Namibian police reported 4,405 GBV cases from April 2024 to February 2025. Among these, there were 1,345 rape cases.

"These numbers represent real people we know," Indombo said. "They include our neighbors and community members." She stressed that fighting GBV is crucial, especially after recent tragedies in Okahandja and Usakos.

Indombo urged everyone to challenge harmful cultural norms. She called for empathy and dignity in supporting survivors. Additionally, she emphasized the need to hold perpetrators accountable.