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Misanet.com / The Namibian, 14 August - Alcohol abuse among communities in the Namibian north was cited as one of the main factors contributing to domestic violence during a public meeting at Ohaingu in the Ohangwena region (northern Namibia) on Saturday. The meeting, addressed by Minister of Women's Affairs and Child Welfare Netumbo Ndaitwah, was organised in the wake of several violent incidents in the North including two cases of women attacking men with pangas. Ndaitwah said domestic violence, including the chopping and axing of people, mainly women and children, had to stop. "We cannot continue like this in independent Namibia. We thought that when we became independent we were going to live in peace and harmony, but we are now cutting and chopping each other, even to death. That is unacceptable," the Minister said. When Ndaitwah asked people to tell her what was behind the spate of domestic abuse and attacks, many speakers raised the issue of the misuse of alcohol. "Some people are drinking from the morning till late in the evening," said headman Josef Kanana from Oipya. - You have women who are supposed to be at their homes before sunset to prepare food for their husbands and children, but they just staying till late at bars and cuca shops, he added. "On coming home they are quarrelling with their husbands or boyfriends." Several speakers claimed that the message of gender equality had brought confusion to traditional communities as women had been taught about their freedoms but not about their responsibilities. - Now some women say they have the same rights as men and they can do what they like, said headman Elia Nghiyalwa. "They are no longer obeying their husbands and boyfriends. This is against our tradition. Women must behave as women and do their domestic work as women. If not peace will never be at home in our villages." Some speakers blamed church leaders for not counselling their congregations on domestic problems. The Police were also accused of being slow to intervene in domestic disputes. Most of those who raised their voices on the causes of domestic violence were men. Ndaitwah called on traditional leaders, regional councillors, other ministries and NGOs to organise consultative meetings with their local communities to speak about gender equality. - I think my Ministry has to put up campaigns to educate the villagers about gender equality issues, because I have realised from this meeting that there are major misunderstandings on the issue, she said. By Oswald Shivute, The Namibian
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