Expert speaks on gender issues

Gabby Tjiroze
Elizabeth Joseph

Gender issues have always been a concern for Namibians, especially the youth.

We can blame it on ignorance and the lack of being well-read, but how often does the nation educate their youth on the issues pertaining to gender?

When asked the current status of Namibian youth, from a gender perspective, gender expert Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi said most young people are neither seriously involved nor concerned about gender issues.

“This is showcased readily through our media stats, the rate of teenage pregnancy, rate of HIV infection, the rate of rape and school passing rates. A gender perspective is indeed empowering, and if the youth are empowered, these rates will drastically be reduced,” he said.

The most well-known factor causing problems among young people is cultural conditioning. Sex education at home, church or school is still taboo. Youth are mostly left to their own devices in handling gender and sexual matters.

There are no rites of passage for boys into manhood, whilst rites of passage for girls are still stooped in submissiveness to men. Early marriages are still happening.

Karuaihe-Upi says that most of the challenges that young people face today are erotic and sexual innuendos through entertainment - music, videos and social media - that influence their attitudes, behavior and beliefs.

“Societal Interventions are very scarce. There is little or no support for programmes like ‘My Life, My Choice’ or ‘True love waits’. Life skills programmes are cut to the bone in schools. NGOs like FAWENA (the Forum for African Women Educationalists Namibia) are barely alive. PAY (Physically Active Youth) is only benefiting a very small number of youth.”

Karuaihe-Upi adds the interaction and observation via workshops and speaking engagements at schools have helped him get into the minds of young people and allowed him to understand how they operate.

Millennials are the most vulnerable age groups at this moment, and passing up the opportunity to educate and equip them for the future will be a huge blow to this country, both socially as well as economically.