Disability and Embodiment in Namibia: Religious and Cultural Perspectives

Venturing into under-researched areas (disability studies in Africa and the religio-cultural narratives of disability in Namibia) this project will develop a 'Diverse Bodies Namibia' network, collaboratively created by the Universities of Namibia and Exeter, the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia.

Religio-cultural attitudes can be co-opted into disabling narratives, whether around illness, or experiences of specific disabilities (physical/sensory/mental) and those associated with gender and sexuality. For example, illness may be associated with sin or spirit-affliction and people with disabilities may encounter perceptions of deficiency, pity or as requiring cure. Gender as disability means that women are exposed to the patriarchal religious or cultural attitudes that may undergird a scourge of gender-based violence. Contestation over where religious and cultural authority lies concerning issues of sexuality has precipitated a polarised debate on the ground, lacking in nuance. The stark inequalities caused by Namibia's colonial legacy are compounded by, and intersect with, divisions of race and ethnicity. These unchecked inequalities contribute to intensified experiences of poverty, exclusion and a lack of well-being.

The project will focus initially on a traditional understanding of disability. We will document lived experiences of physical and mental illness in Namibia alongside church responses and develop an educational package based on biblical and local cultural resources that tackles marginalising discourses. Given its use to address social injustices in Southern Africa, Contextual Bible Study has been chosen as an appropriate methodological approach to complement disability studies in a context where 90% of the population is Christian.

The network will gradually expand to collaborators in well-established, pioneering activist-advocacy groups in Namibia - those concerned with social justice, development, and disability/gender/LGBTQI+ rights. In this forum, academic and activist-advocacy groups can engage with church representatives in a collaborative effort to explore and interrogate dominant religious and cultural narratives surrounding diverse experiences of embodiment. It will consider the extent to which missionary-colonial narratives of 'normativity' have been co-opted and are being refigured and rehearsed as inviolable, Christian and/or indigenous narratives. It will then go on to consider ways in which those same religio-cultural resources might be employed in the promotion of equality, inclusivity and diversity, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda's drive to 'leave no one behind'.

The network will bring together expertise on the impoverishing effects that people with disabilities experience disproportionately: disempowerment, marginalisation, stigmatisation, inadequate access to health care and education, socio-economic struggle, and even violence. The network will exchange knowledge and collaborate further on four themes:
i. collating and foregrounding impoverishing experiences of disability
ii. understanding challenges and priorities from the perspective of the disabled and their advocates
iii. mapping and interrogating religious and cultural narratives of inclusion/exclusion
iv. addressing religious and cultural narratives of inclusion/exclusion in order to promote inclusivity, equality and diversity and, thereby, to maximise potential for development.

The network will convene participants at 3 workshops, with resources being trialled throughout the year. It draws upon substantial regional academic expertise in religion and social justice, thereby promoting 'South-South' collaboration alongside UK-LMIC collaboration. Members of the network will foster Namibian-centred approaches to the promotion of equality and diversity, avoiding the pitfalls of importing Western approaches to embodied diversities.

Many activist-advocacy groups on the ground work towards disabled minority rights in Namibia. However, opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with the church and academia are limited, and with them opportunities to develop greater levels of well-being in marginalised communities. The central impact we seek is to consolidate efforts, thereby maximising possibilities of effecting change in attitudes to and treatment of persons of diverse embodiment. By offering opportunities to congregate, to establish shared expertise, goals and challenges, all through a common lens (disability), the voices of those campaigning for change will be amplified. The National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia reports that operations are limited to the capital and cooperation with the church is lacking. Our activities will extend NFPDN's reach into rural areas and provide opportunities to engage with church and political representatives.

Conducting contextual Bible studies will allow grassroots and church participants to voice religious and cultural perspectives on disability. Given the weight of influence that Christianity and African Traditional Religion(s) have in Namibia, this process allows participants to reflect on their context and empowers them to engage in the interpretation and interrogation of religious and cultural 'texts'. The work of the Ujamaa Centre in South Africa is testament to the impact and success of this approach. Socially-engaged biblical scholars there have interrogated prevalent but destructive social norms and tackled social injustices (such as gender-based violence and HIV stigma) through cooperation with church and community groups. Utilising this approach in Namibia, church and political representatives will have the opportunity to engage with a diversity of stakeholders in the promotion of social justice for the disabled, benefiting in particular from the expertise of invited speakers from South Africa. The potential for change in public discourse and social norms is limited without church representatives adding their voices to the growing chorus demanding social justice for all.

Our networking activities (and legacy project) serve the UN Sustainable Development Goals in pursuit of a reduction in poverty (1), the promotion of health and well-being (3), the promotion of gender equality (5), the reduction of inequalities (10), and the promotion of inclusivity (16). Alignment with UN's country report on Namibia is clear: the report suggests that 'a more targeted approach to addressing discriminatory social norms' is apposite, as is a focus on 'sexuality education' and 'the most vulnerable groups including persons with a disability' (UNFPA 2018: I.10; II.A.16-17; II.B.18). It seeks impact by engaging a range of non-academic and activist partners (UNFPA 2018: II.B.18) and promoting 'South-South cooperation' (UNFPA 2018 II.15). Convening experts in religio-cultural discourses surrounding disability/exclusion will generate knew knowledge about potential underpinnings of exclusionary discourse in Namibian public life, such as hate-speech against LGBTQI+ communities and a lack of protection against discrimination. The generation of such knowledge is a vital means by which the abuse suffered by LGBTQI+ communities can be tackled. Here, the project aligns with Victor Madrigal-Borloz's mandate as UN 'Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity'.

Research into the underpinnings of 'discriminatory social norms' and the development of resources to tackle them will have considerable impact on inequality and marginalisation. The general public will benefit from resources that consider a broader understanding of disability and promote equality and inclusivity. Public discourse will be nuanced and enriched via a focus on the as yet unexamined significance of religious and cultural narratives of disability.