2nd National Conference on Orphans and Other ... - FHI 360

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to meet Namibian requirements, is in line with the SADC/African/Global OVC movement. It is also important that we are not reinventing the wheel, but rather learning from and building on good practices in Namibia and elsewhere. With our partnerships I believe we can achieve or are already achieving the following: Political support. This has been very strong from the outset. Better care for families and caregivers. This is crucially important and I believe we are not doing enough about it. The OVCNSC has laid the foundation by putting in place the tools and mechanisms necessary for rolling out the national OVC programme around the country, but the stakeholders represented here have yet to tackle the actual impacts on the lives of OVC and their caregivers, and this requires our very immediate and undivided attention. Increase in the number and improvement in the quality of OVC support organisations. The GRN is a key stake- holder, but we need to have more and more organisations emerging and operating within the framework being established by the GRN and OVCNSC for a co-ordinated response. Expansion of the role of schools and the education system. The need for this cannot be overemphasised. Children spend a lot of time at school, so it is a very important area to target. Strengthening of child, family and community participation in OVC programme development. This is why we invited young people to join us here. We have two children from each region to learn from. We welcome them and hope they will feel at ease and tell us frankly whether we are on the right track and what actions should still be taken. Long-term financial commitment. We need to plan far into the future to determine whether resources will be available. This is what the OVCNSC has achieved, and I believe we have carried out our mandate in accordance with your wishes. I thank you. Ms Katjiuongua thanked the OVCNSC for a job well done, adding that the committee had done more than was expected. She also thanked the young people for being present, and said the time had come for involving young people continually in decision-making on their future, and they should feel free to say whatever they please. She then introduced the next speaker. The group of 13 representatives of young people from the regions (see p.86 for names). 6 <strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report
As mentioned in the previous presentation, the OVCNSC decided that it had to have a Namibian-owned working definition of OVC before it could proceed with its work. This is the definition we propose for adoption: OVC are children up to the age of 18 whose mother, father or both parents have died; are affected by HIV/AIDS; are in need of care including those disadvantaged, in conflict with the law, subject to abuse and violence. I will now briefly explain the terminology. We opted for the age range 0-18 to conform with the Namibian school system, our current Children’s Act and the draft legislation. The very fact that a person of 18 is still attending school gives that person all the same rights and protections as younger people. The death of a child’s mother, father or both parents will make the child an orphan and the Presentation of proposed national definition of OVC Mr Sebastian Timothy, Project Manager, SOS Children’s Village Association of Namibia, presenting on behalf of the OVCNSC child may thus be more vulnerable. The cause of death could be anything. We have used the term “affected by AIDS” as a generic and inclusive term to ensure that it captures: (1) children who may be living with the virus; (2) children whose circumstances may change because their parents are living with the virus; or (3) children whose parents have died because of it. The term could also mean a combination of all three factors. The term “… are in need of care, including disadvantaged …” is again an inclusive term, which includes neglected and abandoned children, children subject to exclusion, and those who may not be able to access services because of their cultural identity. We felt that if we start to list individual groups, there will always be someone left out, and by leaving someone one out we would instantly create discrimination. The term “in conflict with the law, or subject to abuse and violence” is self-explanatory. The floor is now open for discussion. Questions and comments on the proposed definition Ms Masabane responded to all the questions and comments on this presentation. Note here and elsewhere: The identities of participants who commented or posed questions are recorded only where they are relevant. Question: In Namibia we have people aged 18 to about 24 who are still attending or would like to attend school and still need financial and other support, but who many would not regard as “orphans” due to their age. Should they not be able to receive any support? Comment: Though our Constitution provides that a child is a person aged 18 or younger, the Government has not reached general consensus on this. Response: I had very much hoped that you would come up with some very clear recommendations because we have debated this issue at length. We are submitting to you what we have used as our working definition for finalisation. We considered the definitions in international <strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report 7
Page 1 and 2: 2nd Nation
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS FOREWORD ACRONYMS AND ABBR
Page 5 and 6: FOREWORD Namibia has come a long wa
Page 7 and 8: INTRODUCTORY SESSION Session chairp
Page 9 and 10: Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) Mult
Page 11: Promote and facilitate the exchange
Page 15 and 16: I am here to represent the MWACW ta
Page 17 and 18: the mother will take custody, for t
Page 19 and 20: permission for it? In other words,
Page 21 and 22: Questions and comments on Ms Hubbar
Page 23 and 24: a basis and guidelines for operatio
Page 25 and 26: parents when a child is arrested; a
Page 27 and 28: I will now read out our group’s s
Page 29 and 30: Lack of food and parental supervisi
Page 31 and 32: Recommendations: 1. Information on
Page 33 and 34: Social services: Lack of knowledge
Page 35 and 36: Impacts on OVC: 1. Psychosocial nee
Page 37 and 38: OFFICIAL OPENING SESSION Session ch
Page 39 and 40: anecdotal reports from communities
Page 41 and 42: Trauma associated with losing a par
Page 43 and 44: Namibia’s resource distribution i
Page 45 and 46: Ms Kovambo Nujoma Keynote address,
Page 47 and 48: EXPERT PRESENTATIONS PRESENT TIONS
Page 49 and 50: 3. Psychosocial Normal stresses an
Page 51 and 52: RACOC Regional Director PEER SUPPOR
Page 53 and 54: equests for increments in the Schoo
Page 55 and 56: tance of proper co-ordination can n
Page 57 and 58: then not deliver. The other conside
Page 59 and 60: OVC VC LOGO AND DEFINITION Session
Page 61 and 62: WORKING GROUP SESSIONS Session chai
Page 63 and 64:
Before calling on the first group r
Page 65 and 66:
Learned/enforced roles Domestic vi
Page 67 and 68:
Comment: Everything in the strategy
Page 69 and 70:
GROUP 2 SUB-GROUP 2: FAMILY-CENTRED
Page 71 and 72:
egardless. We know it will take a l
Page 73 and 74:
Questions and comments on Group 3 r
Page 75 and 76:
SUMMARY OF GROUP 4 DISCUSSION (verb
Page 77 and 78:
the why? If it is for the purpose o
Page 79 and 80:
COMMENTARY AND ADDITIONAL POINTS IN
Page 81 and 82:
therefore reached consensus that a
Page 83 and 84:
Session chairperson Ulitala Hivelua
Page 85 and 86:
Official reports and policy documen
Page 87 and 88:
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND CHILD
Page 89 and 90:
CATHOLIC AIDS ACTION (CAA) Dr Lucy
Page 91 and 92:
Dr Marita Grobler, Head of Departme
Page 93 and 94:
OUTGOING AND INCOMING OVC VC NATION
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