UN Namibia

UN Namibia
February 2017 Newsletter
UNCT Namibia holds its
Annual Retreat
The United Nations Country Team (UNCT)
Namibia, under the leadership of the UN
Resident Coordinator, Ms. Kiki Gbeho, held
its 2017 Annual Retreat, a strategic review
and planning session, from 6-9 February.
The main purpose of the retreat was to review
the UNCT’s progress against its 2016
work plan as well as plan for the year 2017
and beyond. The retreat also provided an
opportunity for the UNCT to engage the
Government of the Republic of Namibia
(GRN), on key emerging development issues.
The 2017 Annual Retreat was held
under the theme: “UN Delivering together
towards Namibia’s prosperity”.
Commission. The Team paid a brief courtesy
visit to the Governor of the Erongo
Region, Hon. Cleophas Mutjavikua, who
expressed gratitude towards the UN System’s
work in the country.
The Team also visited the Immanuel Ruiters
Primary School in Walvis Bay to learn
more about the national School Feeding
Programme implemented by the Ministry
of Education, Arts and Culture with
the technical support of the UN Agency,
the World Food Programme (WFP). The
School Feeding Programme positively
contributes to learners’ performance
as well as increases class participation
and attendance in schools. Currently, the
School Feeding Programme supports
330,000 learners in all fourteen regions of
Namibia.
The UNCT was joined by Honorable Lucia
Iipumbu, the Deputy Minister of Economic In her remarks, Hon Lucia Iipumbu, acknowledged
the role of the UNCT in sup-
Planning plus a team of technical staff
members from the National Planning Continues on page 2
UN Namibia Newsletter : Volume 2, Issue 2
In this issue: The UNCT Retreat, International
Condom Day, handwashing facts, WHO-implemented
PARMaCM ends, Snapshots of the Month,
IOM Southern Africa visit, #UnderstandingUNPAF,
UNDP brings Empretec to Namibia, #SDG of the
Month Goal 8
School feeding positively contributes
to learners’ performance as well as
increases class participation and attendance
in schools. After taking part
in the school feeding, Immanuel Ruiters
Primary School Learners were all smiles
and ready to learn! UNCG
February 2017 - Page 1

Retreat (continued)
port of the GRN, particularly during the
formulation of its fifth National Development
Plan (NDP 5) and domestication of
the Sustainable Development Goals to
mention but a few. She further acknowledged
that GRN-UN Partnership Framework
(UNPAF) has been a strategic vehicle
of technical support for NDP 4 implementation
and that she remains hopeful that
the UN System in Namibia will remain the
Government’s strategic partner of choice.
“No doubt [the UN] will remain our
strategic partner of choice.”
Hon. Lucia Iipumbu
The UNCT engaged in various fruitful
discussions on how to move forward to
achieve national, regional and international
development goals in partnership with
the GRN. The UNCT agreed to a number
of strategic priorities for 2017 including
other areas for possible expansion in support
of development work in Namibia.
Did you know? Check out these
3 handwashing facts!
1.) Washing hands with water alone is
not enough! Washing hands with water
alone, a common practice around
the world, is significantly less effective
than washing hands with soap or ash.
2.) Handwashing with soap is one of the
most effective and affordable ways of
preventing the spread of deadly diseases.
It is among the most effective
ways to prevent diarrheal diseases and
pneumonia, which together are responsible
for the majority of child deaths.
3.) In order for handwashing to be effective,
it must be practiced consistently
at key times. The critical moments
for handwashing with soap or ash are
after using the toilet, after cleaning a
child and before handling food. UNICEF
Students learn about the importance of
handwashing with soap. UNCG
The simple act of handwashing can save lives.
International Condom Day quiz:
How much do you really know
about condoms?
In commemoration of the 2017 International
Condom Day and its theme of
“Always in Fashion,” the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration
with UN Cares and the African Youth and
Adolescents Network (AfriYAN) Namibian
Chapter on 13 February 2017 organized
a condom quiz fair themed “Condomize
don’t Compromise” for UN Staff and visitors
to the UN House to test their knowledge
of condoms.
Above, Josephine Mento of UNESCO admiring her prize after nailing the quiz. Below, a
police officer receives her prize after her knowledge of condoms was tested. UNFPA
Condoms, when used consistently
and correctly, are highly effective in
preventing sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) including HIV and unwanted
pregnancy.
Hence, this year’s theme “Always in Fashion”
which denotes that fashion may come
and go but condoms are ever to stay, thus
the need for sustained promotion of condoms
in our society.
‘How often does a male condom fail?’,
‘How many STIs can a person have at the
same time?’, ‘What is PrEP?’ were some of
the questions participants had to ponder
in return of a goodie. The fun event took
place at the UN House in Windhoek.
UNFPA
February 2017 - Page 2

WHO-implemented
PARMaCM ends
The European Union (EU), World Health
Organization (WHO) and Ministry of
Health and Social Services celebrated the
successful results of the four year (2013-
2016) Programme for Accelerating the
Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality
Programme in Namibia (PARMaCM).
Some of the achievements include the
provision of functional Newborn Sections;
improved delivery rooms and operating
theatres in selected hospitals; providing
training to doctors, midwives and health
workers; building three Maternity Waiting
Homes in Gobabis, Okongo and Katima
Mulilo; and granting medical equipment
to hospitals and health centres, among
others.
Speaking at the PARMaCM closure luncheon, Acting WHO Rep. to Namibia Dr. Desta
Tirunah said, “WHO would like to thank the EU, for the confidence and trust they have in
our evidence-based technical guidance and programmatic implementation”. WHO
PARMaCM was implemented by WHO in
partnership with the Ministry of Health
and Social Services and funded by the EU
with an amount of 10 Million Euros.
SNAPSHOTS OF THE MONTH
UNRC to Namibia Kiki Gbeho hands over
a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
banner to the Hon. Govenor of the Erongo
Region, Cleophas Mutjavikua. UNCG
Learners and teachers from various high schools in Namibia came in numbers
to attend the 2017 World Radio Day conference. UNESCO
After learning about the Holocaust, Jan Möhr Secondary School students
painted a tree using their ‘Fingerprints of Hope’ in memory of the victims. UNIC
2017 Annual UNCT Retreat participants
alongside Hon. Lucia Iipumbu and a team
of technical staff members from the
National Planning Commission. UNCG
February 2017 - Page 3

IOM Southern Africa Regional
Director’s fruitful visit to Namibia
Ms. Martha Nakawa from MoIRC, Mr. Josia Ogina IOM Southern Africa
Regional Director, Hon. Maureen Hinda Deputy Minister of MoIRC and
Ms. Lilian Ambuso IOM Namibia Head of Office Windhoek. IOM Namibia
IOM Regional Director (RD) for Southern
Africa, Mr. Josiah Ogina, visited Namibia
between 15-18 February 2017 to present
his credentials to the Ministry of International
Relations and Cooperation (MoIRC)
and to engage with stakeholders.
Mr Ogina had meetings with Minister for
Home Affairs and Immigration Hon. Pendukeni
Iivula-Ithana, Minister for Labour,
Industrial Relations and Employment Creation
Hon. Erkki Nghimtina, Deputy Minister
for National Planning Commission
Hon. Lucia Iipumbu, Deputy Minister for
Gender Equality and Child Welfare Hon.
Lucia Witbooi. The RD was very impressed
by the warm welcome from the Government
of Republic of Namibia (GRN) and
their keen interest to partner with IOM.
Amongst issues discussed were: follow
up on recommendations from the Migration
Profile which was launched in June
2016, diaspora engagement, cross-border
issues and internal migration due to climate
change and trafficking in persons.
“We have the SDGs as a guide and we
shall work together with your Government
and other partners to ensure that no one
is left behind,” said Mr. Ogina.
At the UN House, Mr. Ogina had meetings
with UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Kiki
Gbeho and thanked her for all the support
rendered to IOM. Ms. Gbeho reiterated
the need to act on CADRI recommendations.
A similar meeting was held with the
Country Representative for the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) Dr. Babagana Ahmadu. IOM
Namibia will continue to work in close collaboration
with other UN Agencies, GRN
and public-private partners to increase
knowledge and awareness about the relationship
between migration and environmental
change. IOM Namibia
#UnderstandingUNPAF
What is UNPAF?
The United Nations works
closely with the Government
of the Republic of Namibia
(GRN) through the United
Nations Partnership Framework
(UNPAF) 2014-2018,
which is the third strategic
programme framework prepared
by the GRN and the
UN System since 1990.
What are the Four Pillars?
The framework outlines
UN’s comprehensive support
to government to meet
challenges through the following
Four Pillars.
Quick Quiz!
1.) What does UNPAF stand for?
2.) How many pillars does UNPAF have?
3.) How many strategic programme
frameworks have the GRN and UN System
prepared?
Write a Facebook post or Tweet with your
answers, using the hashtags #QuickQuiz
and #UnderstandingUNPAF and tagging
@UNNamibia, and stand the chance to
be featured in our next newsletter!
Social Media of the Month
1.) Institutional Environment
2.) Education and Skills
3.) Health
4.) Poverty Reduction
February 2017 - Page 4

UNDP brings Empretec
to Namibia
The GRN together with UNDP Namibia, in
a continued effort to fight the war on poverty
and attain Vision 2030, are working
together to strengthen entrepreneurship
and enterprise development in Namibia.
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Poverty
Eradication and Social Welfare, the
Ministry of Trade and Industrialization
and the Ministry of Higher Education, GRN
has engaged Empretec Ghana.
Empretec’s core product is the Entrepreneurship
Training Workshop (ETW), which
aims to foster the motivation and selfconfidence
of participants who have chosen
to start or expand their businesses. It
is based on behavior, designed to unleash
personal entrepreneurial potential.
This one stop enterprise development and
support program developed by the UNC-
TAD has operational centers in 39 countries,
of which 16 are in Africa, such as
Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius among
others.
The Empretec along with UNDP Namibia
is now working closely with the above
mentioned ministries, the Ministry of
Sport, Youth and National Service and the
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare
at ministerial and technical level, to
bring Empretec to Namibia.
Empretec has designed and presented a
three year program that will be operational
and financially sustainable, comprised
of the following components:
1.) Develop institutional capacity which ensures
that a sustainable institutional organizational
framework is established.
2.) Provide Empretec model entrepreneurship
training which will include 50% youth
and women and 10% rural farmers.
3.) Promoting establishment and growth of
local and internationally competitive enterprises
which ensures that Business Development
Services (BDS) are provided on a continuous
basis.
4.) Establish a platform for Stakeholder
Dialogue and Advocacy for MSME Development.
This involves carrying out activities
aimed at creating awareness of the problems,
constraints and opportunities in the
SME sector across different actors in the
economy. UNDP Namibia
GRN and UNDP Namibia discuss bringing
Empretec to Namibia. UNDP Namibia
#SDGoftheMonth:
Goal 8- Decent Work
and Economic Growth
Social justice is an underlying principle
for peaceful and prosperous coexistence
within and among nations. For this reason,
Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) ‘Decent Work and Economic
Growth’ was chosen as the SDG of
the Month. Goal 8 promotes inclusivity
and sustainable economic growth, employment
and decent work for all. Its attributes
speak about social justice, falling
in line with the World Day of Social Justice,
which is an International Observance
commemorated annually on 20 February.
Goal 8 advocates for creating quality jobs,
something which remains a challenge
for almost all economies. Sustainable
economic growth will require societies to
create the conditions that allow people
to have quality jobs that stimulate the
economy while not harming the environment.
Job opportunities and decent working
conditions are required for the whole
working age population.
For the United Nations, the pursuit of social
justice for all is at the core of its global
mission to promote development and human
dignity. The adoption by the International
Labor Organization (ILO) of the
Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair
Globalization is just one recent example
of the UN System’s commitment to social
justice. The Declaration focuses on guaranteeing
fair outcomes for all through
employment, social protection, social
dialogue, and fundamental principles and
rights at work.
What’s on the calendar for March?
1st -
Zero Discrimination Day
22nd - World Water Day
3rd -
World Wildlife Day
23rd -
World Meteorological Day
8th -
International Women’s Day
24th-
World Tuberculosis Day
20th -
21st -
21st -
21st -
21st -
21st -
International Day of Happiness
Int’l Day for the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination
World Poetry Day
International Day of Nowruz
World Down Syndrome Day
International Day of Forests
24th-
25th -
25th -
Int’l Day for the Right to the
Truth concerning Gross Human
Rights Violations and for the
Dignity of Victims
Int’l Day of Remembrance of
the Victims of Slavery and the
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Int’l Day of Solidarity with Detained
& Missing Staff Members
Stay updated with UN Namibia!
Website- un.org.na
Social Media- @UNNamibia
Contact us
Email- library.windhoek@unic.org
Visit us- Klein Windhoek, Windhoek, Namibia
February 2017 - Page 5