Tentative programme
Seminar on Property, Inheritance Rights, Gender and Livelihood Strategies in Namibia in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
Cresta Lodge, Ondangwa, Northern Namibia, 9 - 11 June 2004
The Integrated Support to Sustainable Development and Food Security Programme (IP) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ohangwena Regional Council, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (MAWRD), Legal Assistant Center (LAC), Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare (MWACW) are jointly organizing a seminar on property, inheritance rights, gender and livelihood in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Namibia. The seminar is supported by IP-Namibia and FAO.
The major objective of this seminar, which will bring together resource persons, officials and stakeholders from local, regional, national and international levels, is to discuss ideas and experiences on key issues of productive asset stripping and property rights in the context of HIV/AIDS. The discussions will focus on productive resources such as agriculture inputs, farm equipment, water and technologies, as well as on related legal issues, civil society advocacy, legal aid, the impact of HIV/AIDS, and rights to housing and shelter.
The Seminar intends to develop concrete actions, recommendations and strategies in order to protect, restore and strengthen asset and property rights for families impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, in order to improve the livelihood strategies and options for these families. A special emphasis will be places on the growing number of women-headed households and orphans in Northern Namibia.Day One: Setting the contex
09:00 - 9:30 Registration
09:30 - 9:45 Opening Director General (NPC)
09:45 - 10:00 Property inheritance rights and livelihood in the Namibia context, LAC - Dianne
10:00 - 10:15 The latest institutional reforms for inheritance of property in Namibia, Ministry of Justice (Acting Prosecutor-General for the North Central Regions)
10.15 - 10.30 Women's rights to housing and shelter, and international conventions on women's rights to and Property Communal Land Act and Women's rights, Ministry of Land - Mr. N. Hipondoka
10:30 - 11:15 Group work with the experiences of widows and orphans regarding property rights
11:15 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11.30 - 12.00 Plenary session: feedback from the group work above; general discussion
12:00 - 12:30 Responses by Leaders on property:
Traditional leader, Comrade Kakungwa
Counsellor, Honourable Usko Nambinga
Governor, Honourable Billy Mwaningange
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 - 14:30 Women, orphans and HIV/AIDS: current strategies in place to address the pandemic on vulnerable groups in Northern Namibia, MWAWC - Mrs. Rosa Kayoo
14:30 - 15:15 Local experiences in Northern
HIV/AIDS, NRCS - Mrs. Wendy Hailongwa
Women and gender equality, WAD - Mrs. Aisino
Ohangwena Poverty Profile, Ohangwena Regional Council - Mr.Kofi
15:15 - 16:00 Group Exercise on Women, Orphans and HIV/AIDS: Local responses
16:00-16.15 Coffee break
16:15 - 17:15 Plenary session: feedback from the group work above; general discussion
17:15 - 17:30 Wrap Up and close of session
09:00 - 09:15 Reflections on the previous day's work
09.15 - 10:00 National responses and experiences
Various approaches for mitigating property grabbing: Lessons from paralegal training, LAC - Norman Tjombe
Child Protection Program in Namibia and future program on property and housing rights for children, UNICEF - Doris Roos
Evolving customary law on inheritance among Oukwanyama, Chairperson Traditional Authority Mr. Victor Weyulu
10:00 - 11:00 Group work on national responses and experiences
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 - 12:00 Plenary session: feedback from the group work above; general discussion
12:00 - 13:00 Sub-regional responses and experiences
Overview on FAO/IP in Uganda, Zambia and Namibia: FAO/IP - John Curry
Land, shelter and livelihood programmes for women and children in Tanzania
JFFLS experiences in Mozambique.
Junior and Female Farmer Field School and Life School experiences: Looking at developing similar approach for HIV/AIDS affected household in Namibia
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break
14.30 - 16:00 Group on exploring response options: working groups (tentative list of topics)
1. Establishment of Junior/female farmer field and life school project in northern Namibia (Ohangwena, Omusati) as a pilot regions
2. Sensitisation and paralegal training for various stakeholders at regional level
3. Legal and policy reforms for secure rights for women in land and property
4. Establishment of local institutions and mechanisms to protect and strengthen women's land and property rights
16:00-16.15 Coffee break
16:15 - 17:15 Plenary session: feedback from the group work above; general discussion
17:15 - 17:30 Wrap Up and close of session
Day Three: Developing responses
09:00 - 09:15 Reflections on the previous day's work
09:15 - 09:45 Planning ahead: introduction to action planning
09:45 - 11:00 The way forward for mitigation of property stripping in Namibia and the region:
1. Government
2. Traditional leaders
3. Civil society (women, HIV/AIDS, Church, Human Rights, Legal)
4. The role of donors and UN
5. Others
11:00 - 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 - 13:00 Group work continues
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 - 15:30 Plenary session: group feedback, general discussion and agreement on steps forward: finalising the workshop recommendations
15.30 - 15:45 Closing remarks FAO Representative Namibia - Mr. Moeketsi Mokati
15:45 - 17:00 Drama performance on asset grabbling
18:00 - Reception with music and dance