Article Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/13/why-are-anti-femicide-protesters-demonstrating-in-namibia
Recently in Namibia, there has been a dramatic increase in sexual gender-based violence (SGBV). The 200 domestic violence cases a month and around 1,600 rapes a year have only increased as women have been forced to quarantine with their abusers.
Though this has been a constant reality for women in Namibia, the death of Shannon Wasserfall, a woman in her twenties, has galvanized support for a series of youth-led protests calling for immediate political action. Through the power of social media, many individuals and organizations have called for a state of emergency over SGBV in order to review sentencing laws for sex offenders and murderers.
Sister Namibia, a non-profit, has posted a 10-point plan of action to address various issues, but the government is not very receptive. There are governmental plans already in place, but in Namibia any criticism of the government is seen as an attack, so it has been incredibly difficult to make any progress. So far, the petitions and social media support have been effective, as the Prime Minister has voiced support for the movement.
Though it is unfortunate that it has taken so long for the Namibian government to address such an urgent issue, it is encouraging to see the positive impact that social media and protests have had on the government. Now, the government realizes that not every criticism is an attack on the government, and they are much more open to collaborating with their people. This shows a refreshing openness to democratic principles and reform in Namibia and is a good example of a functioning political system. Feedback from the people was poured into the government, and they are now in the process of creating new reforms and legislation. This process will likely continue until citizens are satisfied with the result, which is a sign that Namibia is advancing on the democracy index.
This article has a few connections to class through the terminology used. Within the state of Namibia, there are many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that work for a better quality of life. The NGO referenced in this article was Sister Namibia, which would be considered an “empowerment” NGO as it uses feminism to empower Namibian women and fight for their rights to life and equality.