– 19 June marks International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, a day to reflect on the impact of this heinous war crime and the need to stand with survivors to break the cycle of violence.
It also provides an opportunity to highlight the critical role of women in peacebuilding, and the need to invest in local civil society organizations working in communities to support survivors and prevent future conflict.
Below, President of Papua New Guinea’s Kup Women for Peace, Angela Apa, speaks about her decades of activism to end tribal conflict in Papua New Guinea and to address other forms of violence against women and girls. Kup Women for Peace is a community organization based in Simbu Province that works alongside formal and traditional structures of leadership to change attitudes about both violence and women’s roles in society.
Why are you called “Mama Angela”?
Because I treat everyone like my daughters and sons. When they have problems, they come to me for comfort. I share whatever I have with them, pray with them, counsel them. So they call me “Mama”, even the men.
How do women use their influence to broker peace between tribes but also within families?
That power comes from participating as a woman leader in the community. I do a lot of awareness on human rights and the laws affecting the rights of women and men. I explain that violence is stopping the development of the community. They realize that when there’s a lot of fighting and hatred, it’s not bringing development into their community or their family. It stops children from going to school, and that hinders prosperity in the community. Most of the time, I am their TV, their newsletter, their source of knowledge, so people trust our work. They respect the work that Kup Women for Peace is doing. The network in the Highlands is very strong. If I cannot solve a problem, I call another group and we have a case conference.
“Women and girls were being raped, cash crops and houses were being destroyed, and boys who should’ve been in school were killed because of tribal fighting.” – Angela Apa, President of Kup Women for Peace
How did you end the tribal conflict between your own tribe and others?
In 1999, we did a lot of groundwork. I had to walk from my tribe to my two enemy tribes, [and talk to] my enemy sisters, Agnes Sil and Mary Kini [co-founders of Kup Women for Peace]. Our men used to fight against each other and when we were children, we saw what was happening. Girls were being forced to marry the men with guns, women and girls were being raped in the trouble fighting, cash crops and houses were being destroyed, and boys who should’ve been in school were killed because of tribal fighting.
We made a grand survey walking from enemy tribe to enemy tribe. We said, “We will make peace”. One year we did awareness, then we did training on conflict resolution, peacebuilding and after this groundwork, we said, “Enemies are for men, not for us women”. We educated all the women, brought them all together and made a mass awareness campaign. All the enemy women from each tribe joined hands and said, “Who is the man who has the guts to fight us?” The men were not afraid, but they realized that we meant business.
A big reconciliation happened in 2000 and all the tribes came together. To this day, no fighting. If there’s going to be a fight, someone will call me, any time of the day or night, and I will call the police.
Please share your experience addressing sorcery-accusation related violence (SARV) in Papua New Guinea.
It’s like witchcraft. In the Highlands region, SARV is mostly done when somebody dies. If the leader in the community, or his wife or child dies, someone may accuse vulnerable men, women, children or even the whole family of sorcery. When they are accused, their houses are burned, sometimes they are bashed up. When that happens, they come to us and we put them in crisis support. We also refer them to the police station for legal action and we have a lawyer who writes their affidavit and helps them go to court.
“To this day, no fighting. If there’s going to be a fight, someone will call me.” – Ms. Apa
Is SARV usually directed at women?
Men are often not accused because they can fight back. But women – vulnerable mothers, widows who have no sons – they will be accused of sorcery. Vulnerable families, especially, who may not be financially [well off] but may be rich in land or resources. Through jealousy or if they want to get their property, perpetrators will accuse vulnerable people to get that land and resources.
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We try to save the survivor and put them in a secure place. If they’ve been beaten up, that may be the hospital, where we have a small area where they can be treated. After the case is referred to the justice system, we mediate – discussing with the police, the village court magistrates, village leaders, and both the perpetrator’s and the survivor’s family. We do a lot of advocacy around the laws against SARV.
How does Kup Women for Peace approach restorative justice?
If I take your coat, I have to restore it back. The damage is done, people are upset, but the house has to be rebuilt. We have a peacemaking custom called Brukim Sugar, which means “breaking sugar”. We have sugar cane in the villages that grows very tall. They cut it, and each side takes half. Now, sometimes we use Coca-Cola. We take one each, offer it to each other and then we share and drink. It’s a sign of peacemaking.
As told to Anne Fullerton. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Read the original article on Spotlight Initiative.
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What: The African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, in partnership with the Government of Ethiopia through the Ethiopian Civil Service Commission, will host the 10th Continental Africa Public Service Day (APSD).
When: 21-23 June 2025
Where: African Union HQ, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
Registration form to participate in the 10th Africa Public Service Day celebrations is available:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1PsflUeGNHeTOjWbr-0TjO1iYm6tTF03_TOClzWYQU8GzAg/viewform
Why:
The theme “Enhancing the agility and resilience of public institutions to achieve equitable governance and rapidly address historical service delivery gaps” aligns with the overarching 2025 AU theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.” The theme is grounded in the understanding that strong and adaptable public institutions are essential for tackling Africa’s historical injustices and promoting long-term resilience. The enduring legacies of colonialism, slavery, apartheid, and systemic marginalization have led to deep socio-economic disparities that continue to impede inclusive development across the continent. Public institutions play a pivotal role in addressing these historical service delivery gaps by driving comprehensive policy reforms, ensuring equitable service provision, and fostering responsive, inclusive governance. By strengthening their agility and resilience, public institutions can effectively advance the transformation agenda and build a more equitable future for all Africans and the Global African Diaspora.
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The 10th APSD will centre on strengthening public institutions to enhance their efficiency, effectiveness, agility, and resilience in service delivery. By fostering innovation, accountability, and responsiveness, the APSD aims to equip institutions with the capacity to adapt to emerging challenges and meet the evolving needs of citizens. Through knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and policy dialogue, the APSD will serve as a platform to drive public sector transformation, ensuring that institutions operate with integrity, inclusivity, and a citizen-centric approach to governance.
Participants
The event will bring together public service institutions, government officials, academia, civil society, media, and international partners from across Africa and the diaspora.
Media are invited to connect and attend the 10th African Public Service Day from 21-23 June 2025
For more, please contact:
Mr. Issaka Garba Abdou, Head of Division, Governance and Human Rights Directorate for Governance and Conflict prevention E-mail: GarbaAdoui@africa-union.org, Cc: RaumnauthD@africa-union.org, MangaY@africa-union.org, and bizimanab@africa-union.org
Read the original article on African Union.
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Geopolitical developments in the Middle East are expected to have a negative influence on market sentiment and the global economy if de-escalation efforts fail. Since Namibia is a part of the global village and trades with other countries; it is therefore not immune to economic catastrophe.
The global economy has been negatively impacted by event such as COVID-19, the wars between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, Israel and Hamas, the start of the global tariff war, and Israel and Iran. These wars threaten the global economy and have the potential to erode globalization and interdependence.
Oil prices have risen by almost 10% during Israel’s attacks on Iran, which raised fears of a wider confrontation in the Middle East and caused major disruptions in oil supply routes including the Strait of Hormuz, according to Global Desk. Brent crude hit $72.80 per barrel while WTI was trading at $73.20. Global markets plummeted as tensions rose, with analysts predicting that crude could reach $100 if the crisis escalated. Although prices are currently substantially below $100, compared to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, traders are now factoring in the potential of disruption to critical supply routes and oil infrastructure in the vicinity. The Middle East accounts for a substantial portion of global oil output, and any crisis that puts it at risk sends shockwaves across the market. As a result, the combination of Trump’s tariffs plus a protracted Middle East conflict would considerably increase the likelihood of a global recession.
Rising geopolitical tensions are the most significant threat to the world and if the confrontation between Israel and Iran continues, the situation will worsen further during this year. The rising geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran endangers global supply chain security. As part of a larger hybrid warfare strategy, these strikes are more likely to progress from low-sophistication, disruption to sophisticated and destructive. War has both direct and indirect consequences on the global economy, harming it through a variaty of mechanisms. A major indirect effect of war is its political and economic radiation beyond its geographical boundaries, which shows up as a decline in regional investment and the disenfranchisement of pro-growth policies that would otherwise receive more focus.
Furthermore, it is vital to remember that Iran is the region’s third-largest oil producer, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Despite international sanctions on its oil exports, the Islamic Republic continues to supply considerable amounts of crude to China and India. The current situation could propagate to other key oil and gas producers in the region, as well as shipping. The magnitude of the regional impact is still unknown and will be determined by the time frame, severity, and spread of the conflict. A large-scale conflict would pose a significant economic challenge to the region. The effectiveness of global initiatives to stop further escalation to the wider region will determine its containment. The Middle East situation is still precarious. Oil prices may rise even further if the conflict worsens or if Iran strikes shipping lanes or oil facilities in retaliation.
Moreover, African countries must take the opportunity to increase regional cooperation and diversify their economies to mitigate the economic effects of the Iran-Israel conflict and beyond. Africa should reduce its dependence on external markets that are susceptible to international crises by continuing to invest in intra-Africa trade through structures such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Developing industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and renewable energy will increase self-sufficiency and act as a buffer against supply chain disruptions and rising global commodity costs. With cooperation across Africa, it can boost economic resilience, ensuring that external crises have a limited influence on domestic economic stability.
Additional war spillover is especially likely to affect the Red Sea maritime corridor, which is an indispensable economic route. Africa’s political environment, security dynamics, economic prospects, and regional alliances will be impacted by the escalating conflict between these Iran and Israel. Africa may pay the price of this battle in the form of interrupted trade, and the need to adjust to a changing world.
In the context of Namibia, the Israel-Iran war will probably have an impact on the economy. For the time being, Namibians should brace themselves for potential rises in fuel costs. The escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran may have far-reaching economic ramifications for Namibia and Africa’s economies. Given the current geopolitical situation, rising global oil prices are one of the most pressing challenges to Namibia’s economy, potentially leading to increased inflation, reduced external funding and fiscal instability.
The Welwitschia Fund, also known as the Sovereign Wealth Fund, should intervene to support the economy if geopolitical circumstances trigger variations in global macroeconomic variables. Sovereign Wealth Funds play a crucial role in stabilizing economies, diversifying assets, and securing their countries’ financial future. The Sovereign Wealth Fund can protect the local economy against commodity or exchange rate fluctuations by investing in international assets.
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To preserve macroeconomic discipline and implement strategic buffers, all fundamental policy channels must remain anchored and flexible to these developments. These shocks may result in a decline in household earnings, limiting Namibia’s ability to grow and implement proactive measures. Geopolitical risks can cause financial instability by driving up inflation and prompting capital flows across borders.
The Bank of Namibia could influence its monetary policy to be compatible with global trends and reduce shocks. This means that the Bank of Namibia can raise the repo rate, and commercial banks will raise interest rates in response to rising oil prices, because if the unrest continues, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) may halt supply as well as exchange rate adjustments and trade ties.
Iran’s significance in OPEC cannot be overlooked, since the country produces over 3.4 million barrels of oil per day and exports approximately 1.7 million barrels per day, accounting for 1.6% of total global oil demand.
In conclusion, an intensification of geopolitical tensions could potentially trigger significant de-globalisation of trade and the economic system. As a result, the global community, and particularly powerful countries, must endeavour to mitigate geopolitical tensions through international dialogue, to neutralize the raging geopolitical turmoil.
Read the original article on Namibia Economist.
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