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

FOREWORD
Namibia has come a long way since attending the first Eastern and Southern African <strong>Conference</strong>
on OVC held in Zambia in 2000. At that conference all countries were called upon to place
OVC high on their national agendas, mobilise and confer with all stakeholders, draw up a national
plan of action and national OVC policy, and develop a national programme and services. Namibia’s
<strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on OVC marked the end of the first year of development of our national
OVC programme. It was a year of many successess, all of which are covered in this conference
report.
I thank you all for your dedication and hard work, and look forward to our future partnership.
What we achieved in the first year of the national programme only scratched the surface, and
we must ensure that our momentum continues. The second conference, like the first in 2001, was
a great success. It was very well attended; we had almost 300 people present in all key plenary
sessions and full attendance at all working group sessions. Many key issues were discussed and
debated, examples being psychosocial support, registration, institutionalisation, access to education
and the national OVC policy, and many new challenges came to light in the discussions and debates.
The challenges call for continuous monitoring and evaluation of our national plan and programme,
and for updating these to incorporate new issues as they appear.
The Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare (MWACW) is henceforth tasked to oversee
the national OVC programme. As outgoing programme guardian I wish the MWACW every success.
Please use this report as your constant guide and companion.
Dr Libertina Amathila
Minister of Health and Social Services
CONFERENCE ORGANISING TEAM
(See list of acronyms on overleaf
for full names of organisations.)
Back row from left:
Lewis Awiseb, MWACW
Belinda Karuaera, MWACW
Francina Soul, MWACW
Front row from left:
Petronella Masabane, DDSWS
Doris Roos, UNICEF
Rose De Buysscher, FHI
Paul Pope, FHI/MoHSS
Not pictured:
Esme Kheibes, FHI
Betsy Basson, DDSWS
Jacques de Wit, CBB
Ruusa Shipiki, LAC