We must change today, not tomorrow!Namibian Men For Change commemorateInternational Domestic Violence Day

Abdallah Mwakembeuof NAMEC call ing forthe passing of theDomestic Violence Bil lduring the march ioparliament organised bythe Women's [\4anifestoNetwork

Namibian Men For Change (NAMEc) would like to commemorate International Domestic Violence Day on 25 November bycalling upon men from all walks of life to embark on a process of change of our violent and abusive attituoes and behavioursagainst our women and children.

$; l|i|l::j:l.tfj.y:"1:* to ask forgiveness from our spouses forhavins oppressed, exptoited, beaten to death, raped or

f' o:nt*:: sexually.abused them. we also have to extend our apologies to our children for having negtected, molested andP abused them in different ways' The real men are those ready to admit when they are wrong and learn from their mistakes,i NAME0 asks Namibian men to reflect on the recent incidents reported between g october and 14 November this year when: Namibia lost a total of B precious lives as a result of violence against women and children and suicides. The most shocking andsaddening incident was the one at ongenga in the North, where two seven-month-old twin babies together with their motherwere brutally axed to death on 16 october. lt is high time that we stopped using our fists, pangas, axes and guns against ourbeloved women and children, whom we are supposed to protect, and rather use our minds to solve our domestic problems.0n this International DomestiqVrolence Day, NAMEC calls upon men to work towards prr*ttg ih. rights of women andchildren and gender equality. We should not be threatened by gender equality but rather embrace it as a blessing for the socio-economic development of our nation. we have to compliment his Excellency, the president, for having taken the bold decisionthis year to turn the former Department of women Affairs, which used to be under his office, into a fuil Ministry of women Affairsand child welfare' The President has shown us a good example that men of quality are not threatened by gender equality.The best we can do to commemorate International Domestic Violence Day and support the president,s efforts would be toindividually make a resolution never to rape, be violent or abusive,against our women and our children, we must change today,not tomorrow.

Abda/lah Mwakenbeu, Actng Drrector of NAMEC

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0n 18April2000 the Women's Manifesto Networkand supporters marched to parliament andhanded a petition to the Deputy Speaker of,theNationalAssembly calling for the urgent adoptionof the Domestic Violence Bill, the Child Care andProtection Bill and the Child Maintenance Bill.fhe Network is still awaiting any signs of progressin the finalising and passing of these bills. TheChild Maintenance Bill, which is designed to makeit easier for women to claim maintenance from theabsentee fathers of their children, has apparenflybeen gathering dust in the Ministry of Justice forthe past I years,

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