By Rafael Hangula
Geneva – The Vice-Chairperson of the National Council, Victoria Kauma, has called on national parliaments and member states of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to enact laws that will enhance women’s representation.
Kauma made this appeal during a debate on gender parity titled “Pushing Back on the Pushback: Men and Women MPs Preserving and Advancing Gender Equality” at the ongoing 149th IPU in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
“As Members of Parliament, we must continue to raise awareness and offer support that will promote training and other capacity-building initiatives with an aim to better position and equip more women to competitively contest positions at all levels,” Kauma emphasised.
She underscored the responsibility of parliamentarians to create a supportive environment through their respective caucuses and to advocate for legislation that fosters women’s representation.
Currently, 58 out of 146 Members in both Houses of the Namibian Parliament are female, representing 40%. Kauma expressed hope that this figure will continue to grow.
“As we continue to debate at this Assembly, I urge us all to put on our gender lens and prioritise gender mainstreaming in the resolutions we make. It is through this collective commitment that we will advance not only the rights of women and girls but also build strong, resilient, and just nations,” she stated.
Kauma reminded her fellow MPs that achieving a more inclusive society requires concerted efforts to integrate gender perspectives into all aspects of policy-making.
Despite Namibia’s successes, which includes increased representation of women in leadership positions, Kauma said, the country has challenges related to women representation at the lower tier of regional and constituency levels.
“Thus, there is a need for women with political capabilities and aspirations to be capacitated and supported in their quest for public office, both socially and more formally through targeted policies and interventions,” she stated.
She further told the IPU gathering that Namibians will be exercising their democratic right on 27 November 2024, in the Presidential and National Assembly elections where a number of female presidential candidates will be running for the higher office, including the incumbent Vice-President of the Republic of Namibia Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwa.
“This progress is a testimony to the effectiveness of these strategies, and I encourage other nations to adopt similar approaches that will enhance gender parity. As a country, this gives us renewed hope for the future,” she added.
The IPU, established in 1889, serves as the global organisation of national parliaments, dedicated to promoting peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.
With 180 Members and 15 Associate Members, it empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to advocate for peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide. Namibia is a member state of the IPU.
The Namibian Parliament delegation, led by Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi, includes MPs Vincent Mareka, Maria Kamutali, and Loide Iipinge from the National Assembly, as well as Victoria Kauma, Emma Muteka, Paul Isaak, and Alfeus Abraham from the National Council.
The IPU meetings, which began last weekend, will conclude this Friday.
