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Desert Nature

HISTORY

Women's Solidarity
Namibia

Women Solidarity Namibia (WSN) focuses on increasing the capacity of women, men and youth to prevent and respond to gender-based violence including harmful cultural practices. WSN speaks out against violence and discrimination against women and children in communities, schools, and workplaces. Our goal is to eradicate violence from all spheres of Namibian life. To accomplish these goals, WSN advocates for better enforcement of laws that protect women and children, hosts a weekly radio show about women’s empowerment. We run two annual nationwide public awareness events, and a variety of media campaigns. WSN, facilitates Support Groups for women to explore traditional life paths and redefine their roles in society. It also supports the Dolam Children’s Home to provide a nurturing environment and education for at-risk children.

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Origin and development of WSN

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WSN has its roots in 1989, in an organization called Rape Crisis, an initiative of the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), for which Mrs Namises (the current National Director of  WSN) was employed as a para-legal/legal educator for a period of 10 years. Rape Crisis provided counselling and structural support to survivors of rape, offered training, awareness raising and research. Mrs Namises became a management committee member of Rape Crises in 1991, when the organization was officially registered and was renamed Women’s Solidarity.

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WSN was closed in 2003 due to lack of funding and other related challenges. In 2005, women’s rights activists, civil society organizations and concerned individuals called for the revival of the organization, arguing that the country needed an organization that focused on reducing the scourge of violence against women and children and established a steering committee for the revival of Women's Solidarity, with the amended name of Women's Solidarity Namibia. At that time, Rosa Namises, today’s National Director of WSN, was appointed to lead the process.

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After its revival, WSN focused on establishing Support Groups (SG) throughout the country and offered training workshops to rural and urban communities. The workshops raised awareness on individual’s rights and taught how to combat violence in the community and/or home. WSN has worked in all 13 Regions of Namibia in response to the strong demand for workshops and the need to support survivors of violence and their families.

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Women’s Solidarity Namibia in Windhoek has provided counselling to thousands of women and children who were raped or battered, and referred some of them to the Police’s Women and Child Protection Unit (WCPU) or social workers of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS). Furthermore, WSN has reached out to educate school children, community-based organizations and police officers on issues of violence against women and children (trafficking. domestic violence prevention and child abuse).

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Women's Solidarity Namibia has inspired and enabled many significant projects around the country including the Dolam Children's Home which has given over 250 destitute Namibian Children a safe and loving Home. 

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From 2016 the organisation focused on training and organisational capacity building facilitating programmes that include projects such as gardening, sewing, bee keeping and farming. 

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Current situation 

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Women's Solidarity Namibia worked with the Global Eco Village Network to set up Namibia's first Eco Village and Community Gardens in 2019. It was a great success until it was hit by drought. 

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Women Solidarity Namibia are supported by Zach Weiss at Water Stories to bring long term water resiliency to the Community Gardens area. This will be used as a pilot to enable other rural communities to find water, food and income resiliency.

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Some Past Successes

Dolam Children's Home

WSN supported the set up and construction of the Dolam Children's Home in Windhoeks's township Katutura. The Children's home has offered a loving home and education to over 250 destitute children since 1999.
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Action against Gender Based Violence 

  • Successfully lobbied for Gender and Child Law Enforcement with focus on the Maintenance Act for single mothers.

  • National Media Campaign encouraging men to demonstrate solidarity with women and girls against GBV around the country.

  • Weekly Radio broadcasts reaching 1,500,000 people on equal rights for women and men.

  • Public Meetings in all Regions reaching over 450 people

  • Community Building, Capactiy Building, Conflict Mangement, etc.. workshops

Eco Village Gardens

WSN developed a pioneering ecovillage with support of Pallium, a German NGO. A community of 26 households on the Ovitoto Reserve,  started a community garden as a solution to build women’s economic independence, strengthen community solidarity, and improve nutrition. 
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