Men the overwhelming majority in prison

Despite Namibia having a larger population of women, the majority of offenders in Namibian prisons are men, totalling 4 538 out of 4 677 Namibian prison inmates.Among the incarcerated men, statistics show a majority are behind bars for crimes related to gender-based violence. This was announced by Namibian Correctional Services (NCS) regional commander for the northern regions, Eliakim Shikongo, during a men&#039;s conference held in Ondangwa on Friday. This was the third annual edition of the conference. The conference theme was &#039;Zero male suicide: Promoting positive masculinity.&#039;Shikongo said a majority of inmates are sentenced for gender-based violence (GBV) offences, ranging from murder, assault and rape.Targeted rehabilitation In response, the NCS has introduced rehabilitation programmes for offenders, aimed at addressing the factors that could lead to GBV offences.Shikongo said one of the most intensive programmes involves a life skills programme.This, he said, teaches inmates to become aware of their dysfunctional thinking patterns and promotes pro-social thinking behaviour.“Offenders learn how to identify their emotions, and [the programme] empowers them with help-seeking behaviour and problem-solving skills. Generally, men have deficiencies in these areas. Therefore, these skills are fundamental to all men, including those who have not committed criminal offences,” Shikongo said.Other programmes offered to inmates are educational programmes that demonstrate to them factors in society that perpetuate GBV crimes. More than 2 700 inmates have participated in the programme from April 2018 to September 2023. These interventions, Shikongo said, are provided by officers with social work and psychology backgrounds.Not immune Shikongo said the current statistics in the NCS on GBV show that a total of 20 correctional officers have either been subjected to or are victims of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV).He said they have observed that there is a reluctance to report GBV cases among correctional officers.Not immune Shikongo said the current statistics in the NCS on GBV show that a total of 20 correctional officers have either been subjected to or are victims of sexual gender-based violence.He said they have observed that there is a reluctance to report GBV cases among correctional officers. Oshana governor Elia Irimari said men play a role in fostering an environment that promotes gender equality, respect and non-violence. Irimari said actively involving men in discussions is a step towards transforming societal norms that perpetuate inequality, GBV and suicide."The purpose of this men&#039;s conference in combatting GBV and suicide among men, especially young men, should not be underestimated,” he said.

Men the overwhelming majority in prison

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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Men the overwhelming majority in prison

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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