Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro THE altercation between the Women Action for Development (WAD) and the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) seems to have been drawn out of proportion by both parties to the verbiage shadow-boxing that has lately been playing itself out in the media. Not only is it exaggerated but also regrettable. Although the two organisations may be poles apart ideologically, practically they are partners in as far as the welfare of Namibian women is concerned and flipsides of the same coin. Thus, in this regard they are not only fellow travellers but also both part and parcel of the civic society, whether both would want it and/or admit to it or not. Granted that the NUNW Secretary General may not have chosen his words carefully in voicing his and the NUNW’s displeasure with the treatment of women by WAD, WAD somehow also equally makes itself guilty of quickly reading malice in the NUNW’s show of care and interest in the welfare of workers associated with WAD. It does not matter whether the women currently under the folder of WAD are NUNW’s members or not. By virtue of its line of business, that is to guard against the violation of the rights of workers, including women, and to protect their rights, NUNW has every right to speak out when and where the interests of workers are perceived to be threatened, or when it believes they are being trampled upon. WAD or any other instance, or individual for that matter, should recognise this, their underlying ideological differences notwithstanding. One can only read the reference by WAD, that it “has always rejected any party-political involvement and interference in its work” for what it really is in black and white. WAD somehow appears to consider itself sacrosanct and its work beyond reproach just because it is doing “uplifting” work among the rural people of the country. Conversely, conventional wisdom among the politically correct and ideologically supposedly non-revisionist, seems to be that somehow WAD does not seem to have the necessary credentials even to engage in “uplifting”. One needs look no further than to the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) statement questioning the authenticity of WAD as a women’s representative body. Thus, the recent exchange between WAD and NUNW can be factored in the legacies of political and historico-ideological prejudices. For legacies is all that is to it in this age when socialistic ethos seem to have been relegated to the dustbins of history at worst, and at best to nostalgic references. Whether the NUNW likes it or not, WAD is doing some commendable social welfare engineering among Namibian women. How genuine or not its agenda may be perhaps time will tell. The acclaimed work by WAD however does not make it a semi-god and its work beyond reproach. Likewise, whether WAD wants it or not, NUNW is among the leading champions of workers’ rights in this country but not the sole and authentic. I believe if the two instances deposit their apparent differences for modern day pragmatism and subjugate their perceived current vantage positions in the present realities of Namibian society, they would realise they have a lot in common and need embracing one another in a realistic partnership. With this realisation it is thus within their ability to solve this matter without resorting to the laborious and inanimate court procedures. I find it hard to understand and believe that the matter at hand is not within the capabilities and leadership finesse of the two instances and their respective exemplary leaderships to warrant the intervention of the Prime Minister. If that is the case as WAD is telling us then this is no more than WAD putting a vote of no-confidence in its own leadership and that of its fellow civic organisation, NUNW. All it takes is for the two to cast aside the underlying undercurrents and address the principle in this matter. The principle is the discrimination posed by WAD’s policy against would-be single mothers. As WAD well admits that the policy has never been implemented, then why can it not be reviewed and if need be scrapped altogether?