The fight against gender-based violence took centre stage in Walvis Bay as the community joined the Correctional Service, which led a GBV Walk aimed at raising awareness and mobilising community action.

Addressing the crowd, the Erongo Governor Nathalia |Goagoses said GBV is not a private matter but a public crisis requiring coordinated public interventions.

She warned against silence and stigma, arguing that it only strengthens the cycle of abuse, and called for continuous awareness, education, and shared responsibility.

The governor stressed that survivors must be heard, supported, and empowered, while perpetrators should be both held accountable and rehabilitated.

She encouraged closer cooperation between correctional services, police, social workers, and health providers to ensure a complete and effective response to GBV cases.

The governor further encouraged families to speak out, support survivors, and teach children respect from an early age.

She also called on social workers to alert her office about vulnerable children affected by GBV so that intervention can be prioritised.

"Let us care about our children, and I'm calling upon the social workers of this town of the Erongo Region to help the governor be informed of the different situations of our children, both in school and out of school, so that we can know what type of needs a child is faced with."

|Goagoses said the walk marks the beginning of a new chapter. One where justice is transformative, communities are engaged, and survivors are empowered.