First Lady takes on violence The One Economy Foundation in partnership with the Namibia Health Plan on Saturday held an anti-violence walk to mark the start of an anti-violence campaign called '#BreakFree2BeFree'.
More than 150 members of the public took part in the five-kilometre walk led by First Lady Monica Geingos, who is the executive chairperson of the One Economy Foundation.
The one-year campaign which will be launched today, aims to raise awareness and end violence in Namibia.
Speaking at a breakfast session held immediately after the walk, Geingos said the high level of violence in Namibia is a manifestation of how dysfunctional the society is.
“We would not consider this as normal behaviour and we must work together to bring about change,” she said. Geingos said Namibia is a very judgemental society which needs to stop being insensitive about issues surrounding violence and rather work together to raise awareness and end the violence.
She urged the media to avoid sensationalising information on violence.
“Let us rather use our access and power to information to shape and guide against violence as sensationalising of events does not take us anywhere. Often [news] papers write 'she was killed because she did this'; that is justification!” said Geingos.
She emphasised that Namibians should stop being insensitive about issues that impact a certain group of people more than others, saying this leads to tribalism. The campaign will include a call to action through a pledge which gives members of the public an opportunity to end complacency and get involved. The Office of the First Lady seeks to obtain 100 000 signatures to the pledge before the end of 2018.
The One Economy Foundation was established in May last year and aims to contribute to ensuring that Namibians fully utilise their talents in one economy.
NAMPA
More than 150 members of the public took part in the five-kilometre walk led by First Lady Monica Geingos, who is the executive chairperson of the One Economy Foundation.
The one-year campaign which will be launched today, aims to raise awareness and end violence in Namibia.
Speaking at a breakfast session held immediately after the walk, Geingos said the high level of violence in Namibia is a manifestation of how dysfunctional the society is.
“We would not consider this as normal behaviour and we must work together to bring about change,” she said. Geingos said Namibia is a very judgemental society which needs to stop being insensitive about issues surrounding violence and rather work together to raise awareness and end the violence.
She urged the media to avoid sensationalising information on violence.
“Let us rather use our access and power to information to shape and guide against violence as sensationalising of events does not take us anywhere. Often [news] papers write 'she was killed because she did this'; that is justification!” said Geingos.
She emphasised that Namibians should stop being insensitive about issues that impact a certain group of people more than others, saying this leads to tribalism. The campaign will include a call to action through a pledge which gives members of the public an opportunity to end complacency and get involved. The Office of the First Lady seeks to obtain 100 000 signatures to the pledge before the end of 2018.
The One Economy Foundation was established in May last year and aims to contribute to ensuring that Namibians fully utilise their talents in one economy.
NAMPA