Legitimacy of SPWC questioned

Some gender activists question the achievements of political parties'' women councils while others argue it must be terminated once non-discriminatory measures are put in place by the relevant party.

The Swapo Party Women''s Council''s (SPWC) seventh elective congress has kicked off yesterday and is expected to conclude tomorrow.

This election will see incumbent secretary Petrina Haingura challenging her deputy, Eunice Iipinge, and Sylvia Kandanga for the secretary position. Windhoek deputy mayor Fransina Kahungu, Katrina Liswani and Bernadette Jagger are standing for the deputy secretary position.

Deputy secretary of Swapo Laura McLeod-Katjirua said the SPWC has brought a great deal of positive change for women since the liberation struggle.

“We now see women in leadership positions. Women''s views and issues are also mainstreamed throughout the party by virtue of the secretary of the council who sits on the executive committee of the main party,” she said.

However, gay rights activist Linda Baumann says female politicians in all political parties have failed women at grassroots levels and often shy away from driving women''s issues to the fore.





She argues that women at the top structures do not make effort to mentor young and upcoming activists or to make sure knowledge is passed on to younger women.

“Look at the recent Aids conference, there was only one woman on the panel and she was the master of ceremonies - why must women always be given the cheapskate jobs? The only female politician who stands out for me is Margaret Mensah-Williams who defends issues affecting women relentlessly,” said Baumann.

Meanwhile gender equality expert Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi argues while institutions such as the SPWC are indeed necessary and relevant they should no longer be needed once a party implements 50/50 gender representation.

“When we have done things right then all these special groups won''t be necessary. In other words, men and women will take care of women''s issues and equally of men''s issues,” he says.

Swapo amended its constitution in 2013 to bring about 50/50 representation of men and women in the party''s organs and structures.

Swapo member of parliament Agnes Kafula hailed this as the SPWC''s biggest achievement, but added that much still needs to be done to ensure equal gender representation across the board.

“There are still some challenges at regional council levels, we do see an acceptable gender representation at local authority councils, but we need to do more,” she says.

Furthermore, political commentator Nico Horn argues that legislative frameworks such as these are of paramount importance to ensure that the country becomes and remains a gender-sensitive society.

“We would be naïve if we think discrimination will just go away. Women still need to work hard to break through the glass ceiling; we therefore need councils and institutions such as these,” said Horn.

President Hage Geingob during the opening ceremony yesterday reminded the delegates that the council needs to be at the forefront of the fight against gender-based violence as it is limiting women from taking their rightful place in society.

He also told delegates that women hold very powerful positions in Cabinet due to their skill and not as a result of tokenism.

JEMIMA BEUKES