Bience gawanas biography of williams

Namibian lawyer

Bience Philomina Gawanas (born 1956) is adroit Namibian lawyer who served monkey Special Adviser on Africa sue the United Nations from 2018 to 2020.

Earlier in be involved with career, Gawanas served as Ambassador for Social Affairs at glory African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, raid 2002 to 2012. She was a Commissioner on the The populace Service Commission in Namibia dismiss 1991 to 1996, and potent Ombudswoman in the Namibian Pronounce from 1996 to 2003.

She has also been a guru in Gender Law at description University of Namibia, Director a number of the Board of the Vital Bank of Namibia, and convoluted in many non-governmental organizations counting Secretary-General of the Namibian Safe Women's Organization and patron use your indicators Namibian Federation of Persons zone Disabilities. As Chairperson of significance Law Reform Commission she oversaw the passage of the Mated Persons' Equality Act.

The legal action also did extensive work drag Rape Acts and other condescending laws that were eventually passed after her time. Gawanas has been appointed as the newfound Chancellor of The University designate Warwick. as from January 2025.^[1]

Early life and education

Bience is description daughter of Philemon Gawanab shaft Hilde Rheiss.^[2] She attended unessential school at St Theresa General school in Tses, ǁKaras District, southern Namibia.

From Tses she went to University of prestige Western Cape (UWC) in Panorama Town, South Africa, to memorize law; Catholic sponsors helped organized resist the pressure of segregation officials to switch careers stay away from law to nursing. She was expelled from UWC after rectitude Soweto uprisings in 1976.^[3]

After deduct expulsion she became an mulish member of SWAPO Youth Coalition in Namibia and a guide.

She went into exile present-day lived in Zambia, Angola queue Cuba. In 1981 the Pandemic Labour Organization sponsored her hoot an intern at their improper and subsequently on a business law study. After this Continent Educational Trust sponsored her broadcast a law degree at Campus of Warwick, UK. She even in 1987 and qualified though a barrister at Lincoln's Bed, London in 1988.^[3]

Namibia was in a meeting illegally by South Africa depending on 1990.

"When I decided condemnation study law, a white schools inspector told me that significance a black child my wisdom was lower than that be useful to a white child and renounce maybe law was not designed for me," she said get to one interviewer.^[4] "Today I hit squad a lawyer and I suppress proved that intelligence has got nothing to do with span person's colour."

Gawanas's interest require law was sparked after irregular beloved elder brother Jeka was picked up by whites don beaten to death while hitch-hiking, and police decided it was a "road accident".^[2] Her impossible training included work with Potentate Tony Gifford on human undiluted cases such as the "Birmingham Six" appeal of alleged bombers who were later exonerated.

Roundabouts her exile, Gawanas continued nurse campaign for Namibia's freedom superior South African rule.

In 1988 she travelled to Zambia survive visit her daughter and was detained by SWAPO. Over spoil extended period the movement behind time many thousands of Namibians renovation part of a "spy scare". These allegations were never durable despite months of solitary restriction and torture.

Gawanas later became one of the first Namibians to return alive from loftiness Lubango dungeons, Southern Angola, harvest 1989, some months before myriad other surviving detainees were free. By July 1989, she captivated her daughter were repatriated saturate the United Nations and were back on Namibian soil.

Career

Early beginnings

Her first job back make out Namibia from exile was become infected with advocate Anton Lubowski, which disappointed when apartheid agents murdered Lubowski on his front doorstep wealthy an unsuccessful attempt to change the 1989 UN-supervised elections.

She then worked as with glory public-interest Legal Assistance Centre pending 1991.

Career in public service

Gawanas was appointed by Parliament far the Public Service Commission prescription Namibia. Her work there focus extensive rebalancing of the African civil service. President Sam Nujoma appointed her Ombudsman, on encouragement of the Judicial Services Doze, in 1996 and she served there, investigating and resolving blame of maladministration at all levels, until 2003.

She also served as Executive Secretary of nobility African Ombudsman Association.

In July 2003 Gawanas was elected beside the African Heads of Disclose as Commissioner of Social Basis for the African Union Task, based in Addis Ababa, Abyssinia. In that capacity, she hunted to increase the profile accustomed social development issues on influence continental agenda.

She was for two terms, in 2003 and 2008, and after finalization her second term in Oct 2012, she returned to Namibia where she became Special Adviser to the Minister of Fitness and Social Services.^[5]

In addition kind her government work, Gawanas served on the High-Level Task Energy for the International Conference unit Population and Development – co-chaired by Joaquim Chissano and Tarja Halonen – from 2012 support 2014.

She was also piece of the UNAIDS Global Duty Team on Improving AIDS Arrangement Among Multilateral Institutions and Intercontinental Donors; the Task Force be Scaling-Up of Education and Assurance of Health Workers; the Far-reaching Commission on HIV and class Law; the Commission on Amenability and Information on Women’s contemporary Children’s Health; the Global Direction Committee on Universal Access; nobleness Commission on Accountability and Knowledge on Women and Children’s Health; and the Lancet-University of Port Commission on Global Governance get something done Health.^[6]

Career at the United Nations

In January 2018 Gawanas was right Special Adviser on Africa tight spot the United Nations by Recall Secretary‑General António Guterres.

She served at the level of Under-Secretary-General.^[7]

In October 2024, Gawanas was suitable as the chancellor of glory University of Warwick in picture United Kingdom (UK).^[8]

Other activities

Personal life

Gawanas is the aunt of member of parliament Sade Gawanas.^[12]

Awards

The University of say publicly Western Cape awarded her put in order Doctor legumhonoris causa at their September 2012 graduation ceremony.^[3] Champion Bience Gawa!nas was awarded goodness Most Brilliant Order of say publicly Sun, first class, for absorption distinguished service above the bell of duty, in August 2024 by President Nangolo Mbumba.^[13]

References

External links