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

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Questions and comments on Ms Tjikuua’s presentation The number of questions/comments was limited because on Day 3 one of the working groups would discuss the issues covered in this presentation in detail. Participants with other questions/comments were asked to forward them to the organisers for the group’s consideration. Comment: It is clear that many OVC do not have access to school because they are unable to contribute to the School Development Fund. We also know that numerous circulars have been sent out to schools requesting them to make provision for OVC, and that the Minister went to the newspapers and some directorates speak over the radio, e.g. in the Caprivi, but still school principals send children away. I would like to suggest the instatement of a grievance procedure and dissemination of information on this procedure to all communities so people know that they have these rights. It seems they do not know that there is help available in this regard. Response: The group could certainly consider this suggestion, however we do already have a charter for junior and secondary schools which outlines the procedures to follow where people experience problems. The charter also provides contact details for all parties tasked to deal with grievances. The new Education Act also includes a section on grievance procedures, and the new education policy has a section on OVC which also outlines the grievance procedures. We have the necessary policies and procedures, but the question is who should advocate these rules in the communities, bearing in mind that the schools themselves are the points of contact between the communities and education authorities and schools are failing to advocate them. The answer is that all the role-players should be doing this advocacy work since they are working with the parents and caregivers. The role-players are urged to acquire all these documents and arm the people with whom they work with the information they need to demand their right to the fee exemptions. This applies particularly to the NGOs, FBOs and CBOs as they have direct contact with parents and caregivers. Information could also be disseminated via adult literacy programmes. The OVCNSC will have to determine means to disseminate information as widely as possible. Comment (social worker, Walvis Bay): I would like to note that I feel very motivated to return to work having been informed of the Circle of Support option. In some of our communities we have seen principals, teachers and social workers become enemies over social workers’ efforts to help OVC. I have even been told that, “This is not a welfare school.” I strongly support the recommendation of establishing Circles of Support. Comment (Regional AIDS Co-ordinator for Hardap Region): Regarding Circles of Support I would like to recommend strongly that each region establishes a forum into which all roleplayers in the Circles of Support are incorporated so that the necessary co-ordination of services can be achieved. It would be difficult to coordinate without such a regional structure. Response: This is a point to consider. In some regions forums are already being initiated. Question: On paper Namibia has a wonderful constitution and wonderful laws, but we fall short on implementation. Is the Minister planning anything concrete to ensure that the policies and study recommendations are implemented quickly and effectively? Response: Implementation of several study recommendations has started. The education sector has a strategic plan for dealing with AIDS, and activities for orphans, and these generally tally with the recommendations except insofar as the education sector had not deemed itself responsible for providing material support, but only counselling. The officials responsible for implementing the strategy have been planning workshops around the OVC issue for teachers. Now that the study has recommended Circles of Support and a counselling function within these circles, we will have to readjust our strategy. The MBESC has also been reviewing the costs of the overall strategic plan to the ministry in view of 46 <strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report
equests for increments in the School Feeding Programme. We have also contracted a consultant to look at the overall training programme that people in the education sector need to be able to deal with OVC-related issues. However, since a lack of co-ordination is one of our biggest problems, we have to find a systematic way to deal with the issues and not just rush into doing things that will not work without co-ordination. It may seem as though we are moving too slowly, but we are not. Question: When will we be able to start using the Education Act? We are told that something still needs to be done before it comes into force. Response: The Minister and the Otjozondjupa Regional Governor launched the Act in Otjiwarongo at the beginning of the year. It is therefore already in force and the role-players can make use of it. Regulations on some sections have been drafted. Closing comment (session chairperson): Co-ordinating the efforts of the role-players to solve the problems sounds easy, but there are always problems in co-ordinating efforts in any sector, and it seems that we need to acquire a particular set of skills to be able to co-ordinate. Let us examine the idea of ‘co-ordination’ and determine how best to co-ordinate our efforts. Overview of the West and Central Africa Regional Workshop on OVC in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, in April 2002 Mr Stanley Phiri, OVC Regional Advisor for East, Southern, West and Central Africa and Global, UNICEF Regional Office, Nairobi I bring greetings from Kenya, and I thank you for the invitation to participate in this conference. I will begin by explaining why we want to present an overview of the West Africa workshop at a national conference in Namibia. Why should it interest you? I think this overview will give us three things: acknowledgement, affirmation, and recognition – that what we are doing is not just necessary but critical; that the issues confronting you are not peculiar to Namibia or Southern Africa, but that West and Central Africa and the whole of sub-Saharan Africa face the same issues; that some of our mistakes have been made by others and we can learn how to avoid making the same mistakes; and that in spite of feeling inundated with challenges, in the bigger (continental) picture, Namibia has gone quite far in doing things that you can be proud of. At the same time there is a big chunk of the problem that Namibia has yet to chew on, so to speak. All countries in Africa are dealing with the question of partnerships and co-ordination, and indeed this is a difficult question. We must be very clear about why we are co-ordinating – co-ordinating for what, for whom, and how? When we are clear about these things, co-ordination becomes more manageable. SLIDE 1: PRESENTATION TITLE SLIDE 2: PARTICIPANTS First regional conference on OVC. Over 100 delegates from 21 countries in the West and Central African Region (WCAR) <strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report 47
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 and 12: Promote and facilitate the exchange
Page 13 and 14: As mentioned in the previous presen
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: RACOC Regional Director PEER SUPPOR
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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