16 Days of Activism News from Namibia : 1 December


Date: December 1, 2004
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Namibians countrywide are observing World AIDS Day and the government is taking the lead in the fight to curb the pandemic. Local NGOs, including GEMSA are also taking part in activities.

News from Namibia
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
1st December 2004
By Sarry Xoagus-Eises
GEMSA Representative in Namibia

Namibians countrywide are observing World AIDS Day and the government is taking the lead in the fight to curb the pandemic. Local NGOs, including GEMSA are also taking part in activities.

The Namibia Red Cross Society (NRCS) has called for collective efforts in fighting stigma and discrimination to ensure human dignity. The NRCS joins the government and people living with HIV/AIDS, NGOs and other stake holders in commemorating World Aids Day.

In a statement released on Tuesday, NRCS Secretary-General, Razia Essack-Kauaria said “the fact that we remember collectively that stigma and discrimination kills, that women and girls are unfairly affected and that the greater and meaningful involvement of people living with aids is critical, is vitally important.”

Until recently the most alarming AIDS statistics had been in sub-Saharan Africa including Namibia. However as the pandemic grows in eastern Europe, India and China, new attention and focus is being drawn to different modes of transmission and action required Essack Kauaria says that Africa could once again be marginalised.

The NRCS is among the partners involved in the task force of the Namibian HIV/ AIDS media campaign, operating under the slogan “Take Control”. Essack-Kauaria said that the Red Cross would also participate in the “Walk of Hope” with Lironga Eparu on 4 December. Red Cross staff and volunteers have also organised a soccer match at the Kilimanjaro informal settlement.

Essack-Kauaria said: “The struggle against AIDS is the very struggle for the survival of mankind. Neither the Millennium Development Goals nor the four core areas of our Strategy 2010 (International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s) are achievable if the AIDS pandemic is not addressed head on.”

Activities to mark World AIDS Day took place around the country and included a press conference held by the National Committee on Gender Based violence, Sexual Harassment and Legal Affars and the Ministries of Women’s Affairs, Child Welfare and Health. The Legal Assistance Centre also today launched radio production on domestic violence, which will run for the next 12 weeks.

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