Picture: Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe (https://archives.documentwomen.com/biography-of-ndiilokelwa-nthengwe/)
The United Nations international campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, runs from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day. This period highlights that violence against women is one of the most pervasive violations of human rights worldwide. (Here is more information.)
Naomi Meyer talks to Namibian-born Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe, who identifies as nonbinary, about activism, their books and 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
Ndiilokelwa, you are an activist, a postgraduate student and an author. You also just received a Mandela Rhodes scholarship for your research – congratulations! Please tell your readers a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, and when did you decide that you wanted to write books? And tell me about #ShutItAllDown in Namibia.
I grew up in Namibia and always had a passion for reading and writing short stories in high school. The decision to become an author was largely spurred by the need to heal from personal loss, specifically the death of my cousin Shannon Wasserfall, and the intense gender justice issues prevalent in Namibia at the time. Writing became a continuation of my activism.
The #ShutItAllDown movement in Namibia in October 2020 was a series of youth-led protests demanding action against femicide, rape and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). It highlighted deep-seated issues not always openly addressed in society. I was a prominent voice in these protests, advocating online for access to holistic reproductive justice care for Namibian women, which was one of the movement’s demands.
Please would you elaborate on each of the three books you have written so far, and tell me about each one?
My three publications explore identity, activism and the future of work.
https://www.namibian.com.na/ndiilokelwa-nthengwe-activist-and-now-author/
- The chronicles of a non-binary black lesbian Namibian … in love (August 2021): This debut memoir is a coming-of-age story that interweaves my life experiences with the legal, sociopolitical and gender issues affecting queer individuals in Namibia. It was important to include these key identities, as they summarise the writing and represent the themes shaping queer people’s lives.
- You fucked with the wrong generation! An ode to modern-day activism in Namibia (September 2022): This award-winning second book is an exploration of Namibian protest culture, focusing on how young activists leveraged social media (like Twitter) to organise real-life movements. It also discusses activism as an industry, different ways to be an activist, and the importance of mental health in activist spaces.
- Autono-Me: A new era of work (September 2024): This third book is a visionary text about the future of work, alternative labour models and the African tech revolution. It is inspired by my tech company, Autono-Me, which aims to dismantle structural unemployment in Namibia and South Africa.
https://www.namibian.com.na/nthengwes-second-book-wins-global-award/
You are passionate about human rights, and you dare to speak out about issues people do not always want to address. Why are you, for example, passionate about abortion rights? Why do you think women should be able to make decisions about matters like this?
My passion for abortion rights stems from a commitment to human rights and body autonomy. In Namibia, the current restrictive, apartheid-era abortion law from 1975 permits abortion in only a few specific cases, which has been proven to fail in regulating abortion and contributes to illegal practices.
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In Namibia, the current restrictive, apartheid-era abortion law from 1975 permits abortion in only a few specific cases, which has been proven to fail in regulating abortion and contributes to illegal practices.
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Women should be able to make decisions about their own bodies, because denying them this right often results in preventable deaths from unsafe "backstreet" abortions. I am the executive director of the VCRC Health and Research Institute, and we advocate for the government to trust its women, provide on-demand, safe and legal access to abortion, and implement comprehensive sexual health education and post-abortion care.
What is your view, as an author, on artificial intelligence and creative writing? How can it be ensured that the human authors still get remuneration for their work?
In my view, AI is a powerful tool, but it currently lacks the emotional depth and lived experience that is unique to human authors. AI models are often trained with human creative output without consent and without providing compensation to the original creators, raising ethical concerns.
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To ensure that human authors still get remuneration, new legal frameworks are needed to protect intellectual property.
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To ensure that human authors still get remuneration, new legal frameworks are needed to protect intellectual property. Mechanisms could focus on licensing models, where AI companies pay a fee to use creative works for training, or a levy system for AI-generated content. This would ensure that authors are compensated for providing the source material that powers AI’s capabilities.
You are from Namibia, and over here in South Africa it is also currently the period of 16 Days of Activism. What is different between our two countries, and what is the same? Also, what do you think people who are not writers, can do to be heard?
Both Namibia and South Africa grapple with high rates of SGBV and gender inequality. A key similarity is the presence of dedicated activists and movements fighting for justice. A significant difference is the legal landscape regarding abortion; South Africa repealed the old law, allowing girls as young as 12 to access safe abortion on request, while Namibia still operates under the restrictive 1975 act.
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Both Namibia and South Africa grapple with high rates of SGBV and gender inequality. A key similarity is the presence of dedicated activists and movements fighting for justice. A significant difference is the legal landscape regarding abortion; South Africa repealed the old law, allowing girls as young as 12 to access safe abortion on request, while Namibia still operates under the restrictive 1975 act.
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For those who are not writers but want to be heard, there are many ways to be an activist:
- Social media: online platforms are powerful for organising and raising awareness;
- Community organising: joining or starting grassroots movements allows for collective action and direct engagement;
- Advocacy and lobbying: educating communities on their constitutional rights and engaging with lawmakers are crucial for driving legal reform; and
- Support: even offline support, like attending protests or supporting community members, translates into real-world impact.
Ndiilokelwa just received a Mandela Rhodes scholarship for their research.
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