|Khomanin Traditional Authority youth council member Richman Indongo says it is not always ideal to put men in leadership roles, as some tend to misuse their powers.
Speaking at a workshop on gender-based violence (GBV) in Windhoek yesterday, he said leadership qualities are not exclusive to men.
"Men are not always suited to be in leadership positions. Women have leadership in them as well," Indongo said.
Ismael Ashipala from the boys' empowerment organisation 4x4 Initiative said disrespect is sometimes the root cause of violence.
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He said many men fail to handle disrespect constructively.
"A man must lead with wisdom, but many cannot address disrespect in their own households and end up leading with fists," he said.
Ashipala said children raised in single-parent households grow up without witnessing how parents should behave, influencing their behaviour later in life.
"Years later when they go into society, they do not know how to handle things. They become violent and abusive," he said.
Young Women's Christian Association secretary general Monika Simeon at the workshop said most abused women do not speak up about their situation.
"How can we end violence if these things are happening to us and we do not speak up?" she asked.
Autism Namibia's Rochelle van Wyk said people with disabilities often refrain from speaking up due to the fear of discrimination and abuse.
"You might be thrown out, beaten or even sexually abused if you speak up, and that makes you vulnerable," she said.
Despite these arguments, the World Economic Forum 2025 global gender gap report reveals that Namibia is the only African country among the top 10 on the list of countries closing the gender gap, standing at number eight.
"We look forward to learning from you," Horname Noagbesenu, the policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation director of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, said.
She congratulated Namibia on its achievement, urging other countries to follow suit.
She said the newly adopted African Union Convention on ending violence against women and girls is dedicated to the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls across the continent.
Senior legal officer in the Office of the Attorney General Dandago !Gaoses said Namibia's constitution guarantees the protection of humans in different forms, yet many people in rural areas still struggle to access these services.
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Despite development plans such as Vision 2030, the Harambee Prosperity Plan and the sixth National Development Plans, there are still gaps in ensuring equal access to justice for all citizens.
"The law prohibits all forms of violence, including sexual violence, however, people in rural areas do not have access to critical services," she said.
!Gaoses highlighted the role different government institutions play in addressing GBV.
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