'Bring more women to parliament' - by Toivo Ndjebela
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WINDHOEK â€" The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare Sirkka Ausiku has called for mechanisms to be put in place to compensate for the nine percent decrease in the number of women heading to the National Assembly next year.
The results of last month's Presidential and National Assembly elections showed a heavily skewed women representation in the next parliament, with only 16 women, representing 22 percent, penciled to start in the National Assembly next year.
The past National Assembly had 25 women, which represented 30.8 percent of the total house.
"As the ministry responsible and mandated to promote gender equality and women empowerment in the country, we would like to see more women rising up and occupying more decision-making positions in politics, as well as in the public and private sectors," Ausiku said.
Recent research by gender advocacy organisations showed that women made up about 52 percent of voters in the just ended elections, but their representation in the next parliament does not reflect the same proportion.
"The wish of the ministry is that the amendments be part of the agenda during the first session of the National Assembly to give ample time to political parties to put systems and mechanisms in place before the 2010 regional and local authorities elections," the gender PS said.
Prior to this year's elections, Namibia was one of a few Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries that had reached a 30 percent woman representation in parliament.
However, current statistics show that the country has gone a step down in this regard, even after President Hifikepunye Pohamba recently signed a SADC Protocol on Gender and Development in South Africa.
According to the protocol, each SADC member state shall endeavour by 2015 to have at least 50 percent women representation in key decision-making positions, including parliament.
Ausiku is however adamant that although the number of women parliamentarians has decreased, there remains abundant opportunities for them in the country.
"For Namibia to reach or achieve the 50/50 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development of Women in decision-making, amendments of some of our laws is required, such as the Regional and Local Authorities Act as amended, Electoral Act and Affirmative Action Act, to mention but a few," Ausiku said.
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The results of last month's Presidential and National Assembly elections showed a heavily skewed women representation in the next parliament, with only 16 women, representing 22 percent, penciled to start in the National Assembly next year.
The past National Assembly had 25 women, which represented 30.8 percent of the total house.
"As the ministry responsible and mandated to promote gender equality and women empowerment in the country, we would like to see more women rising up and occupying more decision-making positions in politics, as well as in the public and private sectors," Ausiku said.
Recent research by gender advocacy organisations showed that women made up about 52 percent of voters in the just ended elections, but their representation in the next parliament does not reflect the same proportion.
"The wish of the ministry is that the amendments be part of the agenda during the first session of the National Assembly to give ample time to political parties to put systems and mechanisms in place before the 2010 regional and local authorities elections," the gender PS said.
Prior to this year's elections, Namibia was one of a few Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries that had reached a 30 percent woman representation in parliament.
However, current statistics show that the country has gone a step down in this regard, even after President Hifikepunye Pohamba recently signed a SADC Protocol on Gender and Development in South Africa.
According to the protocol, each SADC member state shall endeavour by 2015 to have at least 50 percent women representation in key decision-making positions, including parliament.
Ausiku is however adamant that although the number of women parliamentarians has decreased, there remains abundant opportunities for them in the country.
"For Namibia to reach or achieve the 50/50 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development of Women in decision-making, amendments of some of our laws is required, such as the Regional and Local Authorities Act as amended, Electoral Act and Affirmative Action Act, to mention but a few," Ausiku said.
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