The United States government, through its Embassy in Windhoek, recently funded the DREAMS Programme that trained 23 young Namibian women as ‘No-Means-No’ instructors to teach adolescent girls how to protect themselves from gender-based violence (GBV).

The training boosts young women’s self-esteem and includes self-defence exercises.

The Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Namibia, Jessica Long said in a media statement on Tuesday that DREAMS stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe and that the programme has already enrolled more than 50 000 young women and girls in Namibia. It is funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The No-Means-No instructors will play a pivotal role in addressing violence against children and gender-based violence by demonstrating what it looks like to be empowered and confident and to have the skills to prevent or escape violent situations. This is even more important given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and gender-based violence,” she said.

According to the 2013 Demographic Health Survey, one in every three Namibian women aged 15 to 49 had experienced physical violence.

Data show that the situation deteriorated during the recent COVID-19 lockdowns, resulting in increased abuse and a significant increase in teen pregnancies.

“USAID is dedicated to addressing gender inequality and GBV, which affects us all globally and exists in all societies. That is why we all have a role to play, and we should support programmes that address this social ill,” she said.

The new instructors will provide No-Means-No training in the Khomas, Oshikoto and Zambezi regions, where Project Hope Namibia and partners are implementing the DREAMS programme.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency