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Bience Gawanas Quotes (1956-)
About Bience Gawanas
Bience Philomina Gawanas (born 1956) is a Namibian lawyer who served as Special Adviser on Africa for the United Nations from 2018 to 2020. Earlier in her career, Gawanas served as Commissioner for Social Affairs at the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, from 2002 to 2012. She was a Commissioner on the Public Service Commission in Namibia from 1991 to 1996, and an Ombudswoman in the Namibian Government from 1996 to 2003.
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โI sympathize with young people that choose to leave. Job procurement is not very transparent,"โ
โ"We do not have a strong opposition that serves as a checks and balance, and the same goes for civil society orgnisations,"โ
โForced displacement is not only a tale of human tragedy, it also poses a real threat to achieving peace, prosperity and developmentโ
โ"I fought for the independence of Namibia so that my children and their children do not experience what I experienced growing up under apartheid,"โ
โโIt is not just about abortion and I want people to understand that. It is about young girls that we want to keep in school, while we donโt want teenage pregnancies,โ
โThese are not new issues, the fact is that there is backstreet abortion taking place, there is baby dumping and gender-based violence happening in Namibia. These are not new issues.โโ
โโTherefore, we need a social policy framework for Namibia to create a micro policy, social environment where social policies speak to one another in a more coordinated and coherent manner,โ
โThe ultimate goal of the government and its partners is to provide social protection by ensuring that relevant messages are filtered down to the families who are most vulnerable and often affected.โ
โThe country has largely shied away from the issue of abortion and that needed to change. โAre we okay when girls dump their babies? Where are the fathers? Is it okay that we have maintenance courts?โโ
โโBasically, I am giving time to issues that I am passionate about and feel as a Namibian I can contribute not only to the global agenda but also to the continental and national agenda on these issues,โโ
โโIt should also bring into focus the rights that the constitution has bestowed on Namibian people. I would want to see a debate, let us discuss and let us not kill the messenger but listen to the message,โโ
โThat we did not have a Truth and Reconciliation process does not mean that racism does not exist anymore, that what happened in exile in the SWAPO refugee camps did not happen. I think those things are still simmering,"โ
โWhen I joined LPM, I was ready for the sphere of politics. I was raised by my aunt Bience since I was 11 and knew what politics meant, the commitment, the sacrifices and hard work it entitled, but more so; the integrity and honesty which is the basis of leadership,โโ
โThe problem is that there are currently โvery many fragmented policies,โ within the government. โIf you look at the Ministry of Health, they talk about reducing maternal mortality while the Ministry of Education is talking about free education. It is disjointed on all sides,โ
โWith our limited resources, we made great strides in connecting. I think our โheart to heartsโ campaigns are absolutely amazing, as we get to feel how people honestly feel and understanding how best they are the solutions to their worst problems. Heart to hearts speaks with great compassion and care,โโ
โBringing to fruition some of the programmes and plans that we developed. Repositioning OSAA, working closely with our member states and making a difference. To continue being an advocate for Africaโs development, peace and security agenda. I look forward to having a successful Africa Dialogue Series in May 2020. I am optimistic.โ
โThere are various opportunities that can put Africa on a very different path. For me the greatest opportunity right now is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that came into effect a few months ago. Africa has the potential to be one of the biggest markets in the world. But we need to trade amongst ourselves as Africans.โ
โโI, myself, am a product of African solidarity. Having left home in my teens during the war of liberation against apartheid in Namibia, I spent years in refugee camps in Angola and Zambia and benefitted immensely from the generosity of the Angolan and Zambian people. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your big heart.โโ
โI would like to grow within our organisation, expand into the world of politics and be part of the change I wish to see. I don't think that the decision I have taken should be seen as quitting, but should rather [be seen] as moving into another dimension of greater possibilities and challenges. It should be understood as an opportunity to serve,โโ
โI would rather talk about the opportunities in Africa. I want to create a positive narrative of Africa. However, we know that we still face challenges of conflicts, disease, poverty and hunger. That is why we must implement the Sustainable Development Goals and Africaโs Agenda 2063, the African Unionโs blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa.โ
โWe are mostly guided by what the African continent sees as its priorities, the synergy between the two agendas โ the AUโs Agenda 2063 and the global Agenda 2030. The AU and the UN have signed two framework agreements: on partnership on peace and security and on partnership in implementation of the two agendas. Those will definitely remain priorities for us.โ
โI see myself as the voice of Africa within the UN. My office, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, assists the Secretary General in bringing greater coherence to the UNโs support to Africaโs development. We also support the New Partnership for Africaโs Development (NEPAD) programme, which is now transitioning to the African Union Development Agency (AUDA).โ
About Bience Gawanas
Bience Philomina Gawanas (born 1956) is a Namibian lawyer who served as Special Adviser on Africa for the United Nations from 2018 to 2020. Earlier in her career, Gawanas served as Commissioner for Social Affairs at the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, from 2002 to 2012. She was a Commissioner on the Public Service Commission in Namibia from 1991 to 1996, and an Ombudswoman in the Namibian Government from 1996 to 2003.