Change constitution and laws for gender balance

THE constitution and some laws need to be changed to obtain an appropriate gender balance in Parliament, a Cabinet Minister has stated.

Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly last Thursday, which was marked as International Women’s Day, Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said that Namibia had failed to reach the target of at least 30 per cent women’s representation in Parliament by 2005, a goal set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The regional body recently raised this goal to 50 per cent.”Women continue to be under-represented at most levels of leadership within the private and public sector,” the Minister said.”As lawmakers we have a major role to play in women’s advancement.We critically need to look at our Constitution and laws to make them gender or woman friendly, not in words by inserting ‘he’ or ‘she’ in the text, but to demand actions to be taken for women’s advancement.”Namibia has made good strides since Independence, with the Married Person’s Equality Act of 1996 and the Affirmative Action Act of 1998 as well as laws on the combating of rape and domestic violence the most outstanding, the Minister added.Female representation at local authority level has already achieved gender balance due to a change in the relevant legislation, she outlined.”We therefore need to amend our laws and/or the Constitution to make room for a gender-balanced Parliament,” the Information Minister told the House.”We have made good progress but we must push on.”The regional body recently raised this goal to 50 per cent.”Women continue to be under-represented at most levels of leadership within the private and public sector,” the Minister said.”As lawmakers we have a major role to play in women’s advancement.We critically need to look at our Constitution and laws to make them gender or woman friendly, not in words by inserting ‘he’ or ‘she’ in the text, but to demand actions to be taken for women’s advancement.”Namibia has made good strides since Independence, with the Married Person’s Equality Act of 1996 and the Affirmative Action Act of 1998 as well as laws on the combating of rape and domestic violence the most outstanding, the Minister added.Female representation at local authority level has already achieved gender balance due to a change in the relevant legislation, she outlined.”We therefore need to amend our laws and/or the Constitution to make room for a gender-balanced Parliament,” the Information Minister told the House.”We have made good progress but we must push on.”