UNICEF Eastern and Southern Regional Director, Eva Kadilli has highlighted that the government needs to establish safe shelters and implement speedy justice for victims of sexual assault and gender based violence.

She said this following a visit at the ministry of Gender offices at Khorixas.

Cases of drug abuse and sexual related crimes are a concern in Khorixas.

Since 2024 eight cases of rape involving minors between the ages of three and 15 were recorded.

"One critical take away, is the need for us to really look at the violence against children, sexual violence against boys and girls and GBV. I think the need for strengthening overall justice system to address with speed the cases that come and to put in the child- lenses is very important and we need the actually the victims number one to be protected, number two to have their privacy as they come into facilities to declare what has happened to them and number three we need to give them the trust in the system, so that's the only way for the victims to be able to actually declare if something goes wrong."

Kadilli called for more officers to be employed countrywide to address and assist at the gender office.