The Crisis of Violence Against Children: A Call for a State of Emergency

The erosion of the fabric of Namibian society feels like it has hit an all-time low when it comes to violence against children, which seems to have become normalised.

An incident involving a man of the cloth – accused of murdering a three-year-old child – reported a month ago by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), came and went like a weather update.

Here today, gone tomorrow.

Anger and outrage dominated online media for 24 hours but the next day, it was back to business as usual.

During our sixth Session of the Children’s Parliament, we were deliberating on issues centred on the theme ‘Transforming Education in Namibia.’

However, we could not turn a blind eye to the issue of violence against children in our country.

This led to us unanimously passing a motion calling on the president to declare a state of emergency on violence against children.

A PERVASIVE ISSUE

Violence against children is the deliberate infliction of pain or suffering on children through physical, sexual, emotional or mental abuse.

Previously, violence against children generally only used to refer to physical harm or mistreatment.

However, the definition has progressively expanded to embrace other forms of pain and harm inflicted on children.

Child abuse is a pervasive issue in Namibia, as evidenced by the alarming statistics gathered and released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

They indicate that among cases reported, four in 10 children between the ages of 13-17 years old experience abuse.

It is likely that this figure under-represents the scope of the problem as many cases go unreported and the available data may be outdated.

Namibian leaders also need to take into consideration the laws, both national and international, that they have committed to and ratified, more so the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The UN convention places specific responsibilities on governments to ensure that children are protected and their rights are exercised.

These include the right to live a life free of violence and that decisions be taken in the best interest of the child.

PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION

The urgent need for action in addressing violence against children is underlined by our call, as the Children’s Parliament, for a state of emergency to be declared.

Article 26 of the Namibian Constitution grants the president the power to declare a state of emergency at a time of national disaster or a public emergency.

The scale and impact of instances of violence against children in Namibia are enough to warrant the president declaring a state of emergency.

More especially so considering that as a nation, we are turning a blind eye to violence against children, as well its impact in shaping their adult lives, which often results in more tragedy.

While cognisant of the degree of responsibility that comes with declaring a state of emergency, the lack of attention to this challenge necessitates action from the highest office in the country in order for it to trickle down to the community. 

Declaring a state of emergency will empower the government with the necessary legislative and administrative authority to address the issue with urgency.

Among others, this will enable the swift allocation of funds to various ministries and agencies, enhancing monitoring efforts and amplifying education campaigns.

In addition, it will provide the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare with the resources needed to immediately begin creating safe spaces and building safe houses for children in all Namibian regions.

It would also enable the ‘justice cluster’ to receive dedicated support to ensure the expedited investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases.

A PLEA FOR ACTION

As a nation, we must recognise violence against children as a critical issue requiring immediate and sustained action.

Investing in the protection and wellbeing of our children is paramount in safeguarding the future of our country.

It is incumbent on all members of society to act collectively to ensure that every child in Namibia can live free of the scourge of abuse, and it starts by recognising the gravity of the issue.

• Prisha Mokotjomela and Thomson Mwandingi are members of the sixth Session of the Children’s Parliament. They can be reached at: prishamokotjomela14@gmail.com and hifimwandingi@gmail.com, respectively.