Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare

14 Jul

Gender completes new verification system

ObserverNational NewsDoreen Sioka, Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare

Staff Writer The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare has completed the verification of the beneficiaries of its social welfare programmes. Through this verification process the ministry has removed 18 503 beneficiaries from its register, saving the government five million dollars. This figure included 4156 deceased beneficiaries and 249 expired Disability Grants. “The deletion of the 4156 deceased beneficiaries has already realised a saving of N$ 5 million. The reason for the disparity is that some of the data transferred from SAS to ISAS, could not be positively verified against the NPRS as an authentic record of…

15 Sep

Sioka could face 15 months in jail for contempt of court

ObserverObserver MoneyDoreen Sioka, High Court, minister of gender equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare

Eba Kandovazu THE Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka, could face a maximum 15 years custodial sentence, should the High Court convict her of contempt of court next March. The High Court could also fine her in the event that she is found guilty, or impose a suspended custodial sentence. The punishable offense is a discretion of the court. This is after outgoing Ombudsman, John Walters, filed an application to have the minister convicted for not complying with a 2020 court order compelling her to deliver a plan under oath that would see to the…

22 Jun

Women’s freedom chained by apartheid laws

ObserverNational NewsDoreen Sioka, freedom, laws, minister of gender equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, SRHR

There is a petition signed by over 5,000 people calling for the government to legalize women’s rights to choose when they have children. We applaud this effort; it is long overdue. Any human being has a right to decide what happens to their bodies. The discussion around sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) is important. The debate must respond to the silent cry of women forced to give birth against their will. The existing Abortion and Sterilisation Act of 1975 law is 45 years old. This apartheid-era law was written by South African white men, who patronizingly considered women as…

17 Jun

Gender ministry rejects abortion rights

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Gender Equality, Namibia, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare has stated it does not support recent calls to legalize abortion in Namibia. This declaration was made amid increased calls after an online petition by psychological counsellor, Beauty Boois calling for the legalizing of abortion in the country, garnered over 4,000 signatures. Currently, abortion is illegal in Namibia except under specific conditions involving a pregnancy due to proven rape or incest according to the Abortion and Sterilisation Act of South Africa of (1975), which Namibia inherited at independence in 1990. This remnant law from the apartheid days has…