KEETMANSHOOP – !Nami#Nus constituency councillor Susan Ndjaleka has urged women and girls in her constituency to fully participate in the development of the oil, gas and green hydrogen industries that are set to take off in the constituency.
She said women and girls should receive fair recognition in all economic programmes and projects that will be implemented in these industries.
Ndjaleka, who was speaking at the commemoration of International Human Rights Day and Namibia Women’s Day at Lüderitz on Sunday, added that women need to position themselves not to be spectators but real actors in the small and medium enterprises value chain.
She said women cannot contribute to peace without empowerment, hence women need to advance gender justice.
“It is not about political statements anymore, it is about going the extra mile, and time and again we see those women themselves, wounded and abused, are the same ones going the extra mile. Without a just peace, there is no peace at all, and without gender justice, fairness, and integrity there is no peace at all,” said Ndjaleka.
The councillor further said women need to approach each other as being neither inferior nor superior, adding that they should give others the freedom to express their authentic selves without the fear of being negatively judged, and to interact without prejudice or bias, accepting each other regardless of race, religion, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
At the same event, the constituency office through its community trust gave 20 informal traders N$2 000 vouchers each to boost their business.
About 100 women attended the event held under the theme ‘Dignity, freedom and justice for all’ that took place at the Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School at the coastal town. – Nampa