President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that the country cannot claim meaningful progress on human rights when gender-based-violence (GBV) continues to threaten the safety of women across the country.
In a message marking International Human Rights Day and Namibian Women's Day on Wednesday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said GBV is a violation of human dignity and a betrayal of the values upheld by freedom fighters.
"Women deserve safety, respect, and the full protection of the law in an independent Namibia," she said.
The president said GBV contradicts the country's human rights commitments, adding that women's empowerment and human rights are not separate ideas but intertwined principles.
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Nandi-Ndaitwah said women hold influential positions across corporate and political spheres, shaping the direction of the nation.
From boardrooms to Cabinet rooms, from entrepreneurs to lawmakers, she said women are driving innovation, shaping policy and influencing national agendas.
"Their leadership has proven the struggle for equality is ongoing and progress depends on ensuring that women lead, participate and thrive in every space where decisions are made," Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She noted that free primary and secondary education, as well as free tertiary planned for next year and investments in accessible healthcare are part of the government's ongoing efforts to uphold human dignity.
"Challenges like youth unemployment, child labour, and the protection of vulnerable people demand collective action," the president said.
She called on the nation to defend human rights in their everyday practices and not just in principles.
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