A high-level panel discussion on the topic of ‘Fatherlessness in Namibia’ and how it affects both individuals and society will be hosted by the Hanns Seidel Foundation with assistance from the British High Commission on Thursday.

The discussion aims to raise awareness about the severity of fatherlessness in Namibia and its effects on people and society, to share information about institutions responsible for enforcing the law and protecting the rights of women and children, as well as to encourage discussion about aspects of Namibian culture that affect the family structure.

According to Moseline Kavetu, office/team administrator at the Hanns-Seidel Foundation, the project for the debate was created to thoroughly explore the effects fatherlessness has on the Namibian people.

Kavetu in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said the primary motivation for the proposal was to spread awareness of the important problem that affects so many Namibians.

As part of a wide range of topics, she stated, “We are aiming to educate Namibians who will be participating in the discussion on women and children’s rights, as well as the institutions responsible for upholding and enforcing these rights.”

The platform, she noted, will be utilised to enable debates on aspects of Namibian culture that affect parental dynamics, as well as to foster collaborations and connections with many stakeholders in order to bring about positive change in Namibian society.

In the same interview, Bradley Tjongarero, Research and Communications Specialist at the Hanns Seidel Foundation, stated that the discussion will hopefully expand on the notion of fatherlessness, which is something culturally nuanced to look at, implying that the broader discourse must be engaged to unpack what it culturally means and understand its realities.

The panellists will include Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab; James Itana, the Executive Director of the Regain Trust; Sister Namibia Programme Coordinator Ndapwa Alweendo; and Yolande Engelbrecht, who is the Acting Manager of the Gender Research and Advocacy Project at the Legal Assistance Centre.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency