Blog – Page 809 – News Stand

20 Oct

Health ministry admits to unsafe abortions, calls on abortion law repeal

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBen Nangombe, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Eba Kandovazu THE Executive Director (ED) in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Ben Nangombe, says the Abortion and Sterilisation Act 2 of 1975 is an outdated law that should be repealed to suit the current contemporary issues. According to Nangombe, the 46-year-old law does not speak to the current realities happening today, saying it should be reviewed. “We will have to consult further and work around the desired legislation. Of course this will depend on what the public too has to say. Our position is that there is no dispute that there are situations where safe attempts…

19 Oct

‘All pregnancies should be wanted’ . . . Promoting abortion access in ways that are equitable, just and true

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyAbortion and Sterilization Act, Advocate Bience Gawanas, Namibia

Advocate Bience Gawanas This week the Parliament of Namibia will hold public hearings to re-engage on the issue of abortion in Namibia. I welcome this platform, and appreciate the efforts of the over 62 000 Namibians who signed a petition last year calling for the liberalisation of the abortion laws which brought us to this moment. Sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, and particularly maternal mortality and unwanted and early pregnancy are issues that are very dear to me. The opportunity to amend our abortion laws provides us with the chance to fundamentally advance the rights of women…

19 Oct

Namibia to reduce maternal and newborn mortality

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyKalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health and Social Services

Tujoromajo Kasuto THE Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula, today launched the National Guideline for “Antenatal Care (ANC) for a Positive Pregnancy Experience 2020” for expecting mothers. This guideline aims to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. The overall goal is to eliminate preventable maternal deaths and near misses, stillbirths and neo-natal deaths through quality improvement strategies derived from the identification and analysis of circumstances around these deaths and near misses. Namibia has developed the National Guideline in line with the latest World Health Organization (Who) recommendations. The purpose of this guideline is to guide health care professionals to…

19 Oct

Nghipondoka dismisses relocation rumours

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyVaino Nghipondoka

Eba Kandovazu Local businessperson, Vaino Nghipondoka, is urging Namibian businesses to start looking outside the country for new opportunities as the world is opening up following the “deadly” Covid-19 pandemic. Nghipondoka says the current economic situation in Namibia has left a lot of business people in Namibia under serious financial strain, but Namibians must not despair and grab new emerging opportunities. He just returned from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he also attended the Dubai expo, noting that although a lot of Namibians build their businesses around government procurement, it is time to move forward and venture into opportunities…

17 Oct

Joint Declaration is no substitute to the Ozombuzovindimba Declaration

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedKazenambo Kazenambo, Nama, Ovaherero, Ovambanderu, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner

October 2nd, was the 117th commemoration of the Extermination Order against the Ovaherero issued at Ozombuzovindimba in 1904. Similarly Monday, October 4th was the tenth commemoration of the expatriation from Germany of the first consignment of the remains of the Ovaherero , Ovambanderu and Nama victims of the 1904-1908 Genocide. Last but not the least, this November also sees the 17th anniversary of the Ozombuzovindimba Declaration. While all these dates somehow are related and intertwined, each, in its own unique way, marks an important and inerasable historical imprint in the sad but heroic historical epoch of the Nama, Ovambanderu and…

17 Oct

Human rights lawyer lauds gay couple’s victory judgement

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHigh Court, Namibia, Norman Tjombe

Eba Kandovazu HUMAN rights lawyer, Norman Tjombe, says the High Court ruling in favour of a married gay couple declaring their first born son, conceived via surrogacy, a Namibian citizen, is one to be applauded, as it places Namibia 50 years ahead in terms of human rights and equality. Phillip Luhl and Delgado Castaneda, a Mexican national approached the High Court to have their two-year-old son, Yona, declared a Namibian citizen by descent, after the Home Affairs and Immigration ministry declined him citizenship. This week, Judge Masuku ruled in favour of the couple. The ministry wanted the couple to provide…

17 Oct

IUM staff to get five percent increment

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyDavid Namwandi, International University of Management (IUM), IUM

Eba Kandovazu THE International University of Management (IUM) has announced a five percent increment for all its employees, as of October this year. Gerry Munyama, the Communication Director, says management is considering the same for IUM medical aid scheme contributions and IUM study rebate granted to all staff members and their children studying at the university. “Still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic but optimistic about future trends, the university announces a series of measures aimed at enhancing the welfare status of all categories of its staff, academic, administrative and support,”Munyama says, adding that the news was announced by…

17 Oct

More needs to be done in terms of vaccination – Geingob

info_e12wt4csObserver Money//Kharas, Covid-19, Erongo, Hardap, Khomas

Tujoromajo Kasuto Covid-19 vaccination coverage is showing signs of progress, especially in the regions that have borne the brunt of the pandemic historically, such as Hardap, //Kharas, Khomas, and Erongo. However within the last month there has been a decline in the number of vaccines administered daily, says President Hage Geingob addressing the nation and the media during the 35th Covid-19 public briefing today. “During this period, the country recorded an average vaccine uptake of 2,871 doses per day, this figure has declined compared to the daily uptake a month ago thus there is a need to do more on…

15 Oct

PDM policy conference and election review slated for next week

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyManuel Ngaringombe, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)

Tujoromajo Kasuto POPULAR Democratic Movement (PDM) Secretary General, Manuel Ngaringombe, says the party will have an policy conference from 18 to 22 October in Otjiwarongo. Themed “Shaping PDM policy towards a transformative society”, the conference is to develop the movements policies on a wide range of various pressing economic, political and societal issues such as land and housing, sustainability, the economy, education, health, climate change, youth unemployment and gender minority rights such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. The event will be attended by 100 delegates, carefully chosen from both within the movement and outside, based on their unique set of…

15 Oct

A fall from grace: ShutItDown’s Hashikutuva detained in another money scandal

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyLebbeus Hashikutuva, ShutItDown

Eba Kandovazu AS if the allegations of embezzling close to N$100 000 the ShutItDown movement received from the African Union Youth Envoy were not enough, Lebbeus Hashikutuva, co-founder of the anti-gender based violence movement, has yet again been implicated in another scandal relating to the alleged theft of N$40 000. This time, with criminal charges laid against him. Hashikutuva was arrested this morning on charges of theft under false pretense. The arrest of Hashikutuva follows barely a day after he was accused by the movement of embezzling US$5000 (about N$74,000) the movement received in February this year. Today, he was…