As the world celebrates democracy today, older and newer democracies are facing social and political challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. These tensions have compounded with existing trends of rising populism, polarization, and different degrees of social unrest, which were rooted in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis and the subsequent fluctuation in prices of key export commodities, which impacted many developing countries. The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, has stated that the pandemic has deepened pervasive gender inequalities, unequal access to essential health care, education, and internet, which has resulted in a profound human toll borne by the most deprived. The UN has also drawn attention to the need to phase out emergency powers and laws as the worst of the pandemic subsides, allowing for fundamental freedoms and human rights to be restored. In this context, Namibia must be commended for having ended the state of emergency in September 2020, managing the pandemic through the “Public Health Covid-19 General Regulations: Public and Environmental Health Act, 2015”. In relation to the impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable and its potential effects on the Namibian democracy, it is worth noting the effort made by the Government of Namibia in 2020 when it launched the Economic Stimulus and Relief Package, estimated at 4% of GDP, and aimed at supporting employment and livelihoods among those most at risk. Most recently, the Namibian Government launched the Harambee Prosperity Plan 2 which focuses on a sustainable recovery across socio-economic sectors.   Globally, democracy´s performance has been under scrutiny since the mid-70s. The report to the Trilateral Commission on the governability of the democracies in Western Europe, North America, and Japan dates to 1975. In that report, Crozier, Huntington, and Watanuki argued that the growing social demands versus the decreasing government resources and inadequate institutional arrangements, were posing the main challenge for addressing the social discontent.  Twenty-five years later, Pharr and Putnam submitted a new report to the Trilateral Commission where they acknowledged the persisting social malaise with democracy and the persisting difficulty in channeling political action, which implied a questioning of the performance of the system by large parts of society. Nevertheless, scholars did not agree on the existence of a legitimacy crisis for democracy. In parallel, the world has witnessed how new democracies faced up to their own challenges. Since the third wave of democratization started in the 70s, most of the new democracies have shown resilience to overcome volatile political party systems and challenges associated with this historical period to form mass party organizations in societies increasingly characterized by mass media, internet, and social media. Facing similar challenges, resilient new democracies in Latin America, Africa, and Asia evolved by building shifting partisanships along societal cleavage lines, patron-client schemes, or programmatic distinction, depending on their national context and reorganizing the political landscape over time. As the phenomenon is still under study by scholars, it seems that one of the main factors contributing to the resilience of the system has been the participation of voters, despite the difficulty experienced by many political parties in building solid constituencies. Namibia as a young democracy has also shown a high degree of resilience with elections characterized by high voter turnout, which has always been above 60% and, in most elections, above 70%. The Constitution, adopted by unanimous consensus, has played a pivotal role in the founding and stability of the Namibian State and its democracy. In particular, the respect for the diversity across the political aisle is a key feature of Namibian politics. How the social and economic tensions caused by COVID-19 will affect the elections in future, how it may show shifting preferences of voters, how it may impact the strengthening and evolution of the Namibian democracy, will depend on the ability of political leaders to engage in dialogue for state compacts and agreements that can contribute to protect the most vulnerable and recover the economy in a way that leaves no one behind in the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals. M. Ignatieff, politician and scholar, reminds us that in politics, electoral contenders need to think of opponents as adversaries and never as enemies, because this last practice leads to degradation of the politics, polarization, and exclusion.        Dr. Carlos Fernández García Team Leader and Strategic Planner UN RCO, Namibia

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical health of millions of people in many ways, regardless their age and country of origin. Some of these physical consequences are severe and others still unknown. But, what about the mental health? How is the Coronavirus affecting our thoughts, behaviour and emotions? In an interview with Clinical Psychologist Edwina Mensah-Husselmann, she said “The Covid-19 pandemic has a major effect on mental health because the illness affects people in different ways just like in the case of many other life threating illness or diseases.” Covid-19 patients and caregivers are especially at risk for mood changes, anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). On the flipside of things, people recovering from COVID-19 often deals with complex feelings of grief due to the enormous loss experienced. Some people are experiencing survivor’s guilt and others have developed a tendency to become overly hygienic- washing their hands more frequently, wearing protect clothing. Normally this would not be a problem but in this case, it prevents people from living normal lives because they are afraid of contracting the virus again- (Paranoia with OCD traits). Because of coronavirus fears of contracting the virus, spreading it to loved ones and possibly dying of it, Mensah-Husselmann pointed out that this can lead to paranoia and every so often result into the use of harmful remedies and substance abuse to self-medicate and as a desperate attempt to salvage the situation or just to cope with everything they are experiencing. Others completely withdraw from society and family. Covid-19 has increased anxiety for many of us and many people will be left with mental health problems that outlast the pandemic. The psychologists also stressed that the unprecedented nature and scale of the coronavirus crisis adds an additional layer of uncertainties on individuals due to job losses or strained finances, isolation and loneliness. Thus leading to psychosocial dilemmas being amplified. Also, teaching in the age of COVID-19, so many students have found new ways to continue learning in this challenging time however, countless youth were forced to put their education on hold due to abrupt school shutdowns, sudden financial constraints and multiple loss of love ones within such a short time period leading to psychosocial dysfunction. More generally, learning time also dropped and quality of education has decreased from pre-pandemic norms in many schools across the country. Edwina Mensah-Husselmann also noted that stress and social isolation also raised the risk of domestic violence within a dysfunctional household. Violence in the home can lead to adverse health, social and mental health outcomes, including a higher risk of chronic disease, depression, PTSD, and risky sexual and substance use behaviours. To add to the tension, children are also experiencing their own stress and uncertainty about the pandemic, the irregular disruption in school attendance and the escape schoolwork provided increased stress levels for children and parents, says the psychologist. It causes a reduction in emotional/physical/economic security of the families particularly in children. The clinical psychologist alluded that “Take Care of your Body- Experts have found that taking care of your body can boost your ability to deal with stress, solve problems, think flexibly, and even fight disease. Taking care of your body mentally, emotionally, physically, and through creating joy and satisfaction is an important part of living with or without a mental health condition”. Mindfulness coping strategies such as a healthy lifestyle, self-care, exercise, meditation, relaxation, prayer and socialising through technology with family and friends. Also setting boundaries and taking time for oneself to decompress from the day are key. Establishing a daily routine to feel in control of the day and scheduling a “worrying time” to contain anxiety during a planned timeslot can help for having a healthy mind. Now more than ever, practicing self-care is essential when it comes to taking care of our emotional health and well-being, says Mensah-Husselmann. To face daily isolation and loneliness the psychologist recommends to stick to a daily routine: “this can help with a sense of order and purpose. Try to include regular daily activities, such as work, exercise or learning, and other healthy activities as needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Get enough sleep, eat well and exercise in your home when you are physically capable of doing so.” One of the hardest moments that people have to face during this pandemic is the fact of not being able to say a final goodbye to a loved one. For these situations “holding an online ceremony where family and friends come together over a video conference call to celebrate the life of their loved one” can be an interesting alternative to say goodbye when going to a burial is not possible, opines the clinical psychologist. A Drive-through Funeral or a Water Burial are considerable options. Complicated grief can cause dysfunctional behaviours and irrational thoughts, but Edwina believes that the most important thing “is not to suppress your sadness but to allow yourself to grief and to come to terms with the loss experienced. There is no right way to grief but acknowledging and expressing your feelings can help with the grieving process”. Use social media mindfully. Social media and other virtual tools allow us to connect with friends and family, but they can also have unintended consequences if and when using them becomes excessive or consuming. Use it intentionally and do take time to disconnect. If you’re feeling isolated, make a point to call a friend or family member occasionally rather than shoot out another text or Facebook comment. However, sometimes it is vital to seek professional guidance that helps to manage all these emotions. The psychologist advice that it is time to look for professional help when someone “is experiencing symptoms of complicated grief or clinical depression particularly if it starts to affect a person’s ability to functionally cope with their daily life. Clinical supportive care treatments can help manage the symptoms of avoidance of reminders of the loss, feelings of numbness, intense loneliness, meaninglessness or difficulty engaging in ongoing life to integrate the reality of loss and gradually return to living a healthy life. The therapist will guide the client through learning how to reconstruct their bond with their loved one rather than relinquishing it.” But what can we do to help family and friends that passed through that situation? Being aware of them, listening, validating their emotions, following up or praying are just some ways of being empathetic, compassionate and patient. Edwina believes in expressing interest, understanding and care can make a significant impact in the lives of love ones.     *This article was composed by María José Cano Paz (UNIC Namibia Intern) and Anthea Basson (UNIC National Information Officer) based on an interview with Clinical Psychologist Edwina Mensah-Husselmann.

Grade 2 students from the Windhoek International School received a visit from the United Nations Information Centre Team to support their unit of learning on making healthy choices. The Centre presented Peter Rabbit's Food Hero campaign, centred around Peter, a popular children’s storybook and animation to help bring the concept of becoming a “Food Hero” to life. With the UN General Assembly hosting the UN Food Systems Summit on 24 September, setting the stage for global food systems transformation, this learning engagement connected the children’s learning to international and locally relevant themes.  The fun presentation centred around taking action to become Food Heroes by:  Eating more fruit and vegetables  Reducing food waste  Buying locally produced food  Using reusable bags when shopping as a sustainable practice  Planting their own garden  These actions are important choices to make for our health and the health of the planet. The children were called upon to become food heroes and inspire others to join the cause.   The children discussed “ugly fruit and vegetables,” their consumption patterns as well as food waste. Many families are already food heroes with small veggie gardens and active efforts to reduce food waste. We unpacked examples of food waste relating to their lunch boxes and dinner plates and the children shared ideas on how to cut wastage.  The Peter Rabbit campaign runs until World Food Day on 16 October which will call for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems and actions to contribute to the transformation needed to ensure food for all. In becoming Food Heroes, these learners serve as an example to both the young and old to actively make better choices in what we eat every day. 

The virtual dialogues commenced on 29 July and ended on 16 August, encompassed nine unique sessions with various thematic topics all meant to cross-examine how Namibia can move towards achieving more inclusive and sustainable food systems. Over 500 participants from diverse backgrounds, including members of the public and stakeholders from both the private and public sectors such as parastatals, higher education institutions, regulatory bodies, research institutions, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, amongst others, joined in the Dialogues. Noteworthy dialogues include the inaugural dialogue held under the theme: “Production systems and environmental sustainability in Namibia”, during which close to 150 participants engaged in conversations around identifying best approaches for food agricultural practices while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the environment. This was later followed by another equally thought-provoking dialogue held under the theme, “Mitigating issues for food systems transformation and building nutritional, social and economic resilience” in which participants strongly highlighted the need to consider agriculture as being much more than just the production of raw materials. Calls were later made by participants to shift focus towards critical issues hampering the sector from reaching its full potential such as climate change, lack of value addition and agro processing, and minimal investment in the sector. “Food Production, Consumption, and Processing Systems in Namibia: Fostering Sustainable, Healthy, Accessible and Nutritious diets” is another thematic area of focus that formed part of the wider Dialogues during which participants dissected the main problems affecting production, consumption and processing within the country’s local food systems. Issues such as high cost of basic food items, high unemployment and poverty rate hunger were identified. Solutions presented by participants to counter these issues included the need to improve markets, infrastructure and institutions, promote food systems as fertile grounds for income generation and economic expansion etc., as some of the ways to bolster food production and promote access to healthy and nutritious diets. A day thereafter, the Regional Consultations on Food Systems Dialogues, were held under the theme “Fostering sustainable diets, equitable livelihoods, and nature positive production in Namibia,” and saw the participation of various dignitaries and representatives including regional governors, councilors, traditional leaders and community based organizations. The discussions emanating from the regional consultations brought many pressing issues to the fore, including regional food security, improved nutrition, youth engagement in agriculture, and increased agricultural productivity in all the 14 regions of Namibia. The consensus reached amongst the participants was that more needs to be done to transform food systems within the regions to bolster food security and reduce the high levels of poverty amongst their populace. The private sector was also not left out of the equation as various prominent commercial entities such as Namib Mills and Namib Diaries all joined the dialogue that probed the role of the private sector in transforming food systems in Namibia. The entities acknowledged their role in transforming food systems in Namibia, mainly highlighting increased investment in the local sector as a means to stimulate growth. The National Food Systems Dialogues concluded with a high level dialogue that brought together Namibia civic organizations, NGOs, development partners, technical co-operations and UN agencies to interrogate how they can leverage partnerships and strategies for transforming food systems and accelerating the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During his opening remarks, Percy Misika, MAWLR’s Executive Director, thanked all the participants for availing their time and expertise to help Namibia in moving towards securing a future that has robust and resilient food systems and is free from hunger and poverty. In the same vein, Sen Pang, the UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, who provided the background on the UN Food Systems Summit, highlighted that the transformation of agri-food systems is no longer a matter of choice but is rather a matter of necessity as it becomes increasingly vital for governments to safeguard people’s lives and livelihoods. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, as the appointed National Convenor in the office of the Prime Minister, together with the United Nations in Namibia, led and coordinated the National Food Systems Dialogues. The discussions emanating from the Dialogues will mainly be used to produce a final country position paper on Namibia’s Food Systems to enable her participation in the UN Global Food System Summit set to take place on 23 September 2021.