Lahja Nashuuta
Gender Links, a Southern African non-governmental organisation, has commended Namibia for its significant progress in bridging the gender gap and advancing women’s empowerment.
Gender Links promotes gender justice and equality.
Gender Links’ CEO Colleen Lowe Morna has called upon the African continent, particularly the Southern African Development Community, to draw inspiration from Namibia to ensure gender equality in decision-making processes.
In an interview with New Era on the eve of the inauguration of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah last week, Morna acknowledged the President for championing gender justice throughout her tenure in various ministerial roles.
“President Nandi-Ndaitwah has had an illustrious career – from freedom fighter to holding multiple ministerial positions, including the ministry of women’s affairs. She has not only advocated for women’s political participation, but also championed gender justice in every portfolio she has held,” she stated.
She said the United States has yet to elect a female president, noting that the 2024 elections demonstrated that even the world’s most advanced democracy is not yet ready for a woman president.
“Nandi-Ndaitwah’s presidency is a testament to the fact that, in many ways, our region is ahead of several Western democracies,” she said.
Morna noted that having a female president is not a coincidence, but a result of a progressive ecosystem that fosters an environment where female leadership is both accepted and valued.
However, she acknowledged that challenges remain, including homophobic laws, restrictive policies on abortion and sex work, as well as high rates of gender-based violence.
“These issues highlight the gap between progressive laws on paper and deeply-ingrained patriarchal attitudes,” Morna added.
Namibia became the second country in Southern Africa to have a female president following the swearing-in of Nandi-Ndaitwah last Friday. The country also witnessed the election of a female Speaker of Parliament, the appointment of a female vice president, and the inclusion of nine women among the 14 Cabinet members.
They hold key positions in education, health, finance and international relations.
Nandi-Ndaitwah is Namibia’s first female President and Africa’s fourth female head of state.
She follows Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (2006-2018), Malawi’s Joyce Banda (2012-2014) and Tanzania’s incumbent Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In 2024, Namibia became the first country to achieve 50/50 gender representation at the parliamentary level, with women occupying 52 out of 104 parliamentary seats.
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