During the last 3 years, the Spanish Government has been supporting WAD with two projects, aiming to reduce violence against women and girls in Namibia and to change attitudes in gender relations and empowering women in the country.

Through WAD’s extensive network at regional and constituency levels, community members, decision-makers, traditional authorities, spiritual leaders, etc from all 107 constituencies in the country have been reached and made aware about the need to curb violence against women and girls in all its existing forms, as well as about the measures to prevent and combat this type of violence.

Training Life Skill’s teachers is currently taking place in the 13 regions of the country in order to reach 65 000 learners within secondary schools country-wide.

Moreover, I am pleased that the Namibian Government views gender equality as a priority. For this reason Spain has increased in recent years, the prevention, support and recuperation of the victims of gender based violence.

Only in societies where there is a real recognition of the importance of women’s empowerment and having advanced in that direction, gender based violence is consistently reduced.

It is therefore my sincere hope that, through these projects, we will make a significant contribution towards the empowerment of Namibian women, and for the fulfilment of their human rights.