ObjectivesFirst objective was to strengthen the national maternal death review, by addressing local challenges with each step of the review cycle. Second objective was to describe review findings... Show moreObjectivesFirst objective was to strengthen the national maternal death review, by addressing local challenges with each step of the review cycle. Second objective was to describe review findings and compare these with available findings of previous reviews.MethodsConfidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths methodology was used to review maternal deaths. To improve reporting, the national committee focussed on addressing fear of blame among healthcare providers. Second focus was on dissemination of findings and acting on recommendations forthcoming the review. Reviewed were reported maternal deaths, that occurred between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019.ResultsSeventy maternal deaths were reported; for 69 (98.6%) medical records were available, compared to 80/119 (67.2%) in 2012-2015. Reported maternal mortality ratio increased with 48% (92/100,000 live births compared to 62/100,000 in 2012-2015). Obstetric haemorrhage was leading cause of death in the past three reviews. The "no name, no blame" policy, aiming to identify health system failures, rather than mistakes of individuals, was repeatedly explained to healthcare providers during facility visits. Recommendations based on findings of the review, such as retaining experienced staff, continuous in-service training and guidance, were shared with decision makers at regional and national levels. Healthcare providers received training based on review findings, which resulted in improved management of similar cases.Conclusions for PracticeEnhanced implementation of Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths was possible after addressing local challenges. Focussing on obtaining trust of healthcare providers and feeding back findings, resulted in better reporting and prevention of potential maternal deaths.What is already known on this subject? To analyse and improve quality of care, a national maternal death review is recommended. In Namibia successful implementation was hampered by a blame culture. Around the world, healthcare providers are frequently blamed by decision makers when a woman dies. Limited literature is available on how this issue could be addressed.What this study adds? It was possible to improve implementation by focussing on increasing trust of healthcare providers in the review process. This was achieved by addressing fear of being blamed, dissemination of findings and acting on the recommendations forthcoming from the review. Show less
The call to decolonize African Studies has a profound influence on the field, with varying degrees of success. This article addresses this topic in relation to the author’s personal experiences in... Show moreThe call to decolonize African Studies has a profound influence on the field, with varying degrees of success. This article addresses this topic in relation to the author’s personal experiences in the publishing industry in Namibia. By describing the attempt to publish a historical book about Namibian beer with a well-known German–Namibian publishing house, the lingering power of German–Namibian settler colonialism becomes clear. This article renders visible the power structures within the Namibian book market that perpetuates a whitewashed version of Namibian history and argues that decolonizing knowledge cannot succeed without paying attention to the (private) publishing industry. Show less
Since Namibian independence in 1990, historians have increasingly made use of Namibian archives to explore the history of the German and South African occupation. Researching the recent past is,... Show moreSince Namibian independence in 1990, historians have increasingly made use of Namibian archives to explore the history of the German and South African occupation. Researching the recent past is, however, much more difficult, considering the absence of a SWAPO archive and an embargo on governmental files of thirty years. But now, thirty years after independence, the files from the postcolonial administrations are set to gradually open up. In anticipation of this new chapter of Namibian history, this article examines the state of various archives in Namibia and offers a number of observations that may be of use to scholars who are interested in consulting them.Résumé: Depuis l’indépendance de la Namibie en 1990, les historiens ont de plus en plus utilisé les archives namibiennes pour explorer l’histoire de l’occupation allemande et sud-africaine. La recherche du passé récent est cependant beaucoup plus difficile, compte tenu de l’absence d’archives de la SWAPO et l’embargo fait sur les archives gouvernementales de moins de trente ans. Mais aujourd’hui, trente ans après l’indépendance, les dossiers des administrations postcoloniales sont amenés à s’ouvrir progressivement. En prévision de ce nouveau chapitre de l’histoire namibienne, cet article examine l’état de diverses archives en Namibie et offre un certain nombre d’observations pouvant être utiles aux chercheurs intéressés à les consulter. Show less
Namibia was one of the final African states to gain independence, a political transformation which was the outcome of a decades-long liberation struggle. The global dimension of the struggle has... Show moreNamibia was one of the final African states to gain independence, a political transformation which was the outcome of a decades-long liberation struggle. The global dimension of the struggle has been duly recognised by generations of historians. As a result, archival materials related to this era - as well as the colonial ones preceding it – are to be found all over the world. Through a discussion of relevant archival collections pertaining to Namibian history - though located outside the boundaries of the Republic of Namibia – this article considers the global archival paper trail of Namibian colonisation and decolonisation. We shed light on the origins of various collections located in South Africa, Europe, North America, and beyond in order to reveal the ways in which the utilisation of such global archivalia can shape our understanding of Namibian decolonisation. This applies to government archives, private collections, institutional solidarity collections, as well as those of international organisations. We then delve into some of the promises and pitfalls of the digitisation of archival records, noting issues of ethics and methodology. Ultimately, we hold that historians must balance both internal and external Namibiana archivalia in crafting our arguments about the past, and we must balance both the merits and demerits of the digital turn in historical research. Show less
Following Ingold's dwelling perspective, the world comes into being because an organism/person is continuously interacting with his/her environment through bodily activity. Ingold contrasts... Show moreFollowing Ingold's dwelling perspective, the world comes into being because an organism/person is continuously interacting with his/her environment through bodily activity. Ingold contrasts dwelling with building; in the latter, people construct the world cognitively before they can live in it. In this paper, we add the concept of 'lodging' to refer to a situation in which people live in an environment that contains increasing dominating powers. Under the influence of conservation and the implementation of a Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme, with a strong focus on tourism, the environment of the Ju/'hoansi Bushmen of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in Namibia has changed dramatically. In this paper, we use various examples to show how the environment has become more dominant, often in very subtle ways. We argue that the Ju/'hoansi do not dwell as they used to, but lodge instead in an environment that is increasingly influenced by CBNRM and tourism activities. Some of the Ju/'hoansi's agency has become limited to acquiescing; they passively adapt to and cope with the changes in their environment, while others have shown a more active adaptation strategy. Show less
The Namibian Khwe Bushmen live in the Bwabwata National Park, where they are highly affected by the park's history and conservation activities. Following Ingold's dwelling perspective, the world... Show moreThe Namibian Khwe Bushmen live in the Bwabwata National Park, where they are highly affected by the park's history and conservation activities. Following Ingold's dwelling perspective, the world comes into being because a person is continuously interacting with his/her environment. This contrasted with building, in which (wo)man constructs the world cognitively before (s)he can live in it. We apply a third notion, lodging, to refer to a situation in which people live in an essentially foreign environment. In this, many changes in the environment of the Khwe are triggered beyond their control, instead of through their interaction with their environment. Show less
This chapter examines what democratic transition in the 1990s has meant for women in southern Africa. It focuses in particular on the impact of democratization processes on political participation... Show moreThis chapter examines what democratic transition in the 1990s has meant for women in southern Africa. It focuses in particular on the impact of democratization processes on political participation by women, notably women's representation in parliament in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is compared with developments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, where the introduction of multiparty elections has generally resulted in women's marginalization in parliament. Comparison of the representation of women in parliament in the SADC region under the one-party State and after the democratic transition reveals that the tendency is towards better representation of women. Factors impacting on the representation of women in politics include a country's state of development, the quota system, women's pressure groups, and electoral systems. Linking the UNDP's gender-related development index (1998) to the representation in parliament-index, the author concludes that there is no visible relationship between women's representation in parliament and the quality of life for women in southern Africa. Notes, ref Show less
