<div id="b25dc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3370e3d19314527662c3aa902fc7bf48"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317065499344326657" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">After a closed-door meeting with president Hage Geingob & other govt representatives, including prime minister Saar… https://t.co/9WBDdjh4JT</div> — The Namibian (@The Namibian)<a href="https://twitter.com/TheNamibian/statuses/1317065499344326657">1602847859.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The #ShutItDown protests started on October 8th and had specifically called for the resignation of Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, <strong>Doreen Sioka</strong>, following her failure to adequately respond to the rising number of SGBV cases of. Sioka allegedly failed to meet with protestors and activists earlier in the year concerning women's right to abortion. Roused with anger from Wasserfall's murder, youth took to the Namibian capital of Windhoek to demonstrate against inaction towards gender-based crimes. Young female protestors called out Namibia's stringent laws which pervasively police women's bodies. After the #ShutItDown protests continued into their second week, <a href="https://www.namibiansun.com/news/government-gives-in-to-shutitdown-demands2020-10-14/" target="_blank">the presidential cabinet subsequently responded through the Prime Minister</a>. </p><blockquote><em>"We share in the repugnance of the Namibian public at the situation of SGBV and are in full agreement with the public that this situation cannot be allowed to continue," the prime minister said in a statement announcing the establishment of the courts."</em></blockquote><p>The special court has largely been rejected. <a href="https://twitter.com/IAmNotNextAF/status/1318144191785013252" target="_blank">Civil organisation group, the IAANA.Community,</a> has put forward calls for a sexual offenders registry that will will reportedly be tabled in parliament. While Namibia is one of the few African countries with young members of parliament, this special court announcement proves the general tone-deafness of governments when it comes to tackling gender-based violence.</p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script></p><p>Namibians have responded with mixed reactions to news of the special court. </p><div id="c7d4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0f7f2a843b253dd6662c06e30978c126"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317309196342317056" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@TheNamibian A Visionary Leader! With the gender portfolio already in the Presidency, it surely shows the commitmen… https://t.co/hb4dYFtcSA</div> — Mulife Muchali (@Mulife Muchali)<a href="https://twitter.com/MuchaliMulife/statuses/1317309196342317056">1602905961.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="5d2a1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cff8b7982d114e9d74e5850ed05b4f0b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317074588069732352" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@TheNamibian Closed door discussions of this matter could have at least been broadcast via video stream.
Or would w… https://t.co/Gfh5JovMjL</div> — Cyber Cat (@Cyber Cat)<a href="https://twitter.com/0xCats/statuses/1317074588069732352">1602850026.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="41a33" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e3f98012aa71ee0314166a44cb80269e"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317448878212468737" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Women in #Namibia are protesting for the right to live and not be killed by systemic patriarchy… https://t.co/XBKj6J7yTB</div> — Chika Oduah (@Chika Oduah)<a href="https://twitter.com/chikaoduah/statuses/1317448878212468737">1602939264.0</a></blockquote></div>
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