2013-10-29Staff Report 2 "WINDHOEK – TheUnited Nations Under Secretary-General and United Nations Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has commended the ruling party for the adoption of the 50/50 representation of women in its structures, urging that the party policy should also form part of government policy. Mlambo-Ngcuka praisesd the party during the official launch of the five-day programme dubbed ""Women Leading Africa – Board Leadership, Voices of the Future"" aimed at enhancing women’s presence on boards in Africa, held at the Hilton Hotel last week which attracted ambassadors, representative of the United Nations, directors, members of the diplomatic community and politicians most notably among them the newly elected DTA President McHenry Venaani. “This is a significant achievement, I take off my hat for the leadership of Namibia for having the foresight and the conviction,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka. She further said that after meeting the founding president Dr Sam Nujoma and Prime Minister Dr Hage Geingob she could tell that there is a lot of determination for the policy to succeed. ""The women leading Africa programme is therefore an idea whose time has come for Namibia,” she said. She congratulated Martha Namundjebo Tilahun for her world class hotel. ""This shows that women in Namibia mean business and are head and shoulders with anyone in the world – men or women,"" she said. “When we empower women, when we have an inclusive society everybody wins – when women’s rights which are human rights are respected and economic rights are also respected. Then men, women, and children, who are the future generation, civic life, GDP growth and development all benefit."". She further acknowledged Swapo women who fought hard to make sure the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2122 on women, peace and security, which reinforces Resolution 1325. ""Some of the Swapo women fought [to] make sure 1325 was passed in the first place. In 1325 for the first rime sexual abuses women suffer in times of conflict were recognised as crimes but in 2122 we recognise all forms of gender based violence beyond sexual violations,” she said. ""Women lose land and social support at times, widows are left with children and less rights – if we do not involve women in peacemaking we leave women with perpetual war scars,"" she said. She further said that Namibia has done enough in advancing women’s status since the 1997 National Gender Policy was launched. ""The Namibian National Gender Policy for 2010 to 2020 seeks to create an enabling environment for sectors to mainstream gender in line with the national development plans.” On her part Minster of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Rosalia Nghidinwa said that Africa as a continent has achieved great strides in the area of transformation be it political, social or commerce. ""The issue of gender has always been and still is at the forefront of these developments. Thus, mainstreaming, as well as creating a conducive environment for women leadership to flourish,"" she said. By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa" 2013-10-29Staff Report 2
