WINDHOEK – Women’s Action for Development (WAD) is disappointed with the lack of commitment by some political parties to pronounce themselves on the number of women nominated to represent them.
Swapo Party is the only party that has committed to have a 50/50 representation of gender on all its party lists at all levels of government.
The executive director WAD, Veronica de Klerk, said she submitted a letter of appeal to the Prime Minister in September last year, requesting government to amend the current electoral laws to compel all political parties to honour the 50/50 representation of gender on all party lists.
“We have since received a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office in which it was stated that due attention will be given to WAD’s appeal,” said De Klerk.
She spoke at the opening of a workshop on women running for political workshops. WAD will run 79 workshops countrywide for women running for political office in the country.
De Klerk went on to say that all political parties should ask themselves if they have done enough or anything at all to prepare women for decision-making positions within their party structures in order to eventually take up positions in parliament.
“I am saying this because women will have to overcome the barriers of prejudice facing them,” the gender activist said.
She said women would have to work twice as hard in order to attain excellence. “In order to be a strong woman leader and an inspiration to others, women should be confident with themselves.”
By Staff Reporter