Patience Makwele
Young Namibians have been urged to confront gender-based violence (GBV), challenge harmful social norms and prioritise mental wellbeing as the country continues to grapple with high levels of abuse and violence against women and children.
Through her work with advocacy organisation Victims 2 Survivors, Namibian activist and educator Lizette Feris says many forms of abuse are rooted in unresolved trauma and unhealthy attitudes that are often passed from one generation to another.
“Generational trauma has affected millions of Namibians,” Feris said. “If we can help children manage emotions early, the ripple effects can transform families and communities.”
Feris, who has worked with survivors of GBV and child abuse for more than a decade, said ending violence requires more than responding to cases after they occur.
“We need to teach our little ones while they are still young about right and wrong so they are not easily manipulated,” she said. “If we address trauma early, we can break the cycle before it spreads to another generation.”
Her organisation provides counselling and support to survivors while also raising awareness about abuse and promoting community-based solutions.
Feris said one of the challenges facing Namibia’s fight against GBV is the persistence of attitudes that normalise abuse and silence victims.
“There’s a narrative that women are happy as victims, which is used to justify silence and inaction,” she said. “That manipulation needs to be challenged if we are serious about addressing GBV.”
University student and youth activist Alinautoni Ndeunyema said young people have an important role to play in changing harmful perceptions about violence and relationships.
“Many young people are becoming more vocal about issues of consent, healthy relationships and mental health,” she said.
“But there is still a lot of work to do because some harmful attitudes are deeply embedded in our communities.”
Ndeunyema said breaking cycles of violence starts with education and open conversations.
“We need to raise boys and girls who understand respect, emotional intelligence and accountability. If we keep treating GBV as an issue only for adults, we will continue to reproduce the same problems,” she said.
Feris also raised concerns about the lack of resources available to support survivors and mental health professionals.
“We have clinics and hospitals where you will only find two social workers expected to attend to more than ten clients a day,” she said. “They become overwhelmed with the emotions of each case, and in the end, even the professionals are burnt out.”
She called for more investment in mental health services, additional social workers and community programmes that directly engage vulnerable families.
“Expensive conferences don’t touch lives,” she said. “One-on-one engagements with survivors, affordable mental health programmes and more accessible psychological care are what we need.”
Twenty-three-year-old law student Tuhafeni Kamati said many young people are increasingly recognising the connection between mental health and violence.
“When people grow up around violence, neglect or unresolved trauma, it can affect how they see relationships and handle emotions,” he said. “More young people are beginning to understand that healing and seeking help are not signs of weakness.”
Feris said economic vulnerability also places many women and young people at greater risk.
“Financially distressed women often become victims of GBV because they feel they have no options,” she said. “We need to support women economically to reduce their vulnerability.”
Alongside her advocacy work, Feris runs a Montessori early childhood centre that focuses on emotional development and social learning, which she sees as part of a long-term solution to violence.
“Child brain manipulation is becoming a huge issue,” she said. “We need children to understand emotions and develop healthy ways of expressing themselves.”
For Feris, meaningful change happens one person at a time.
“It may not be possible to save everyone, but for the one you do reach, it makes a difference,” she said.
As conversations around mental health and GBV continue to gain momentum among Namibia’s youth, Feris believes young people have the power to create lasting change.
“If we start with our children, support survivors and fix our systems, we can end this cycle,” she said. “Everyone has a role to play, from government to communities to families.”
