THE Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is to hold a four-day national conference on gender-based violence in Windhoek this month.

The Ministry says gender-based violence needs to be better understood and addressed in Namibia.

There is not yet enough information exchange or co-ordination between concerned institutions in the country, it says.

Understanding the underlying causes of gender-based violence, masculinity, femininity and HIV-AIDS, and the roles of policies and programmes to combat and prevent gender-based violence are some of the topics that will be discussed at the conference from June 19 to 22.

Delegates from Government Ministries, non-governmental organisations, national and international donors, research institutions, trade unions and the private sector will attend.

It has been estimated that about 2 000 cases of domestic violence are reported to the Namibian Police every year, accounting for at least one fifth of all violent crimes.

The causes of violence against women and children in Namibia are believed to stem from social, cultural and economic factors that have placed women at risk of violence within their own homes.