Dear colleagues, We’re pleased to share the August-September 2024 edition of the CIVIC BEAT Newsletter: https://bit.ly/civicbeatv3i2 This edition highlights a training session on improving governance in welfare organisations, an update on the draft GRN-CSPE policy and discussions on the Universal Basic Income Grant (U-BIG). It also covers a workshop on Green Hydrogen development, its community impact and the recognition of Jim Kastelic with World Scouting’s highest award. Lastly, we spotlight efforts to combat food insecurity and malnutrition by the Nutrition and Food Alliance of Namibia (NAFSAN) and celebrate the KAYEC Youth Development (KYD) programme’s 20 years of empowering Namibian youth. Upcoming events and opportunities are towards the end of the Newsletter and full articles are available on the CIVIC +264 website: www.civic264.org.na ...
News Blog
Recent news around Civil Society Organisations in Namibia
KAYEC, 27 September 2024 | On the 27th of September, KAYEC’s Youth Development (KYD) programme marked its 20th anniversary. Since its inception in 2004, the KYD Program has been committed to empowering Namibia’s youth by providing educational and psychosocial support, along with knowledge about HIV prevention. After two decades of addressing the needs of vulnerable children and adolescents aged 10 to 18, we are proud to commemorate this significant milestone.
BY: BEN SCHERNICK, 2 October 2024 | Rising malnutrition cases and deaths in Namibia, especially among children under the age of five, have been reported in the news for a few years now, with poverty, growing inequalities, and extreme droughts making the situation even worse. By September 2024, over 75% of Namibian’s were projected to be to some degree food insecure (www.nafsan.org/facts-and-figures). Given the gravity of the situation, only multi-sectoral and genuinely collaborative efforts by various stakeholders, together with innovative and sustainable (long-term thinking) approaches can make a real difference.
BY: RODNEY CLOETE, 19 September 2024 | The Bronze Wolf Award, World Scouting’s highest honour, was bestowed on Tsumeb Scout leader James “Jim” Kastelic during the recently held 43rd World Scout Conference in Cairo, Egypt.The Bronze Wolf Award, World Scouting’s highest honour, was bestowed on Tsumeb Scout leader James “Jim” Kastelic during the recently held 43rd World Scout Conference in Cairo, Egypt.
BY: HANS-CHRISTIAN MAHNKE, 19 September 2024 | From 28 to 30 August 2024, over 40 Namibian and South African community activists and CSOs gathered in Windhoek to learn more about Green Hydrogen under the workshop theme “Shared Energy Futures: Civil society and community voices on Green Hydrogen”. The workshop took place in Windhoek and was organised by the Namibia Development Trust, Economic and Social Justice Trust and Frack Free Namibia, with support from the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Cape Town Office. The participants came from areas affected by Green Hydrogen developments in Namibia and South Africa. Namibian participants included Civic+264, LAC, IPPR, NDT, ESJT, CCN, MUN, TUCNA, FrackFree Namibia, Rights Not Rescue Trust, various conservancy representatives, the Erongo Regional Conservancy Association, Hanganeni...
BY: RINAANI MUSUTUA & BEN SCHERNICK, 4 October 2024 | Following nationwide protests, the last one taking place on Heroes Day, 26th August 2024, petitions for a Universal/Unconditional Basic Income Grant (U-BIG) were handed to representatives of the Namibian government. A delegation from the BIG Coalition had this week (4 Sept.’24) met with the Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare and high-ranking officials from her Ministry to discuss the need for, benefits of, and ways towards implementing such Universal Basic Income in Namibia. The discussions were fruitful, and the Ministry gave an update on the background and status quo of current social protection mechanisms, as well as on identified challenges towards a truly Universal Basic Income Grant from...
BY: ESTER /NANUS & CHRISTINE LEISER, 30 September 2024 | Between 2022 and April 2024, the Civic Organisations Partnerships Policy (GRN-COPP) underwent a comprehensive review involving stakeholder consultations. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) expressed strong opposition to the voluntary registration requirement with the government, perceiving it as a threat to their autonomy—a concern reminiscent of the findings from the 2005 GRN-CSO Policy Review.
On 12 October, the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) launched the publication, 'The Namibian House: Building Inclusive Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Persons'. The publication looks at the history, legal issues, social factors and media representation that affect LGBTQIA+ rights in Namibia and Africa.
Dear CSO Health Sector Colleagues, The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) informed us of a site visit by the organisers of the 19th International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis and Prevention Research in Resource-Limited Settings (INTEREST). Namibia has been nominated to host the INTEREST Conference from 13-16 May 2025.The organisers' site visit is taking place in Namibia from 8-12 October 2024.The hybrid meeting with local civil society organisations (CSOs) is scheduled for 10 October 2024 at 11 am. The hybrid preparatory meeting with local CSOs is scheduled for Thursday, 10 October, from 11:00 to 12:00. If you or your organisation haven't received a direct invitation and would like to participate, please let us know by tomorrow afternoon to share your...
Tracy Tafirenyika, 2 October | The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has urged the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to investigate not only civil society and churches but also the funding of political parties and the use of lawyers’ trust funds to channel proceeds of corruption.
