Women are critical to development success
Former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the upliftment of women is linked to the achievement of development goals in Africa.
The upliftment of women and girls through education and literacy programmes and overall gender equality are undeniably tied to achieving successful development goals in countries such as Namibia.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president in Africa and a joint 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner for women's rights efforts, speaking at parliament in Windhoek yesterday, underscored the close link between women's upliftment and the ability of African countries to thrive economically and otherwise.
Sirleaf also praised Namibia and other southern and east- African countries leading by example for having achieved equal political party participation.
“Clearly leadership is an issue and what we have been able to see in southern Africa, like in Namibia, in eastern Africa as in Uganda, and Kenya, where male leadership has excelled in that regard by passing these laws and by establishing these quotas. And you have been successful in achieving that.”
Sirleaf noted that while much still needs to be done, Africa is on a one-way road towards achieving women's equality, including equal participation in governments.
“For those who have not achieved it, there is no stopping them now. Those who are behind in participation in parliament or executive positions are in leadership positions throughout society, whether in business, churches, schools. At this stage, if one looks around the continent, and what is happening to the young girls whose aspirations have increased, those who know they have no limitations in what they seek to achieve, those who commit to be seen as equal in every way, the breaking down of the stereotypes and the attitudes that have been part of the constraints against women empowerment, those are changing.”
She said it's crucial that women across the continent to recognise how far they have come.
“There is still a long way to go, no doubt about it, but we have also come a long way. That train cannot be stopped.”
Sirleaf's talk, to the parliamentary women caucus and the standing committee on gender equality, social development and family affairs, centred around how the ability to achieve the global and continental development goals set by African countries cannot be separated from gender issues, gender equality and women's empowerment agendas.
Sirleaf added that in terms of leadership, women are stronger than men. “They bring to leadership issues a certain dimension, the passion, the sensitivity, for humankind, for the preservation of a better life.”
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi said “generally, women consider themselves to be closer to the grassroots, and therefore to a larger extent, female parliamentarians tend to enrich policy debates with a greater attachment to matters that they feel will add greater value to livelihoods, of especially women and children.”
He concluded by noting that “no nation can achieve progress without mobilising everyone, including females and males.”
Continued work
While Sirleaf acknowledged that African countries have progressed in universally recognising the desire for gender equality, much work remains.
It is crucial, she said, to find answers to how to put these agendas into action, how to implement them, and to sustain the momentum. She cautioned that while many countries have embedded equality laws, including Namibia, in too many cases “we have laws and party policies that are not implemented”.
She further emphasised the crucial importance of education, not only to achieve gender equality, but developmental goals overall.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president in Africa and a joint 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner for women's rights efforts, speaking at parliament in Windhoek yesterday, underscored the close link between women's upliftment and the ability of African countries to thrive economically and otherwise.
Sirleaf also praised Namibia and other southern and east- African countries leading by example for having achieved equal political party participation.
“Clearly leadership is an issue and what we have been able to see in southern Africa, like in Namibia, in eastern Africa as in Uganda, and Kenya, where male leadership has excelled in that regard by passing these laws and by establishing these quotas. And you have been successful in achieving that.”
Sirleaf noted that while much still needs to be done, Africa is on a one-way road towards achieving women's equality, including equal participation in governments.
“For those who have not achieved it, there is no stopping them now. Those who are behind in participation in parliament or executive positions are in leadership positions throughout society, whether in business, churches, schools. At this stage, if one looks around the continent, and what is happening to the young girls whose aspirations have increased, those who know they have no limitations in what they seek to achieve, those who commit to be seen as equal in every way, the breaking down of the stereotypes and the attitudes that have been part of the constraints against women empowerment, those are changing.”
She said it's crucial that women across the continent to recognise how far they have come.
“There is still a long way to go, no doubt about it, but we have also come a long way. That train cannot be stopped.”
Sirleaf's talk, to the parliamentary women caucus and the standing committee on gender equality, social development and family affairs, centred around how the ability to achieve the global and continental development goals set by African countries cannot be separated from gender issues, gender equality and women's empowerment agendas.
Sirleaf added that in terms of leadership, women are stronger than men. “They bring to leadership issues a certain dimension, the passion, the sensitivity, for humankind, for the preservation of a better life.”
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi said “generally, women consider themselves to be closer to the grassroots, and therefore to a larger extent, female parliamentarians tend to enrich policy debates with a greater attachment to matters that they feel will add greater value to livelihoods, of especially women and children.”
He concluded by noting that “no nation can achieve progress without mobilising everyone, including females and males.”
Continued work
While Sirleaf acknowledged that African countries have progressed in universally recognising the desire for gender equality, much work remains.
It is crucial, she said, to find answers to how to put these agendas into action, how to implement them, and to sustain the momentum. She cautioned that while many countries have embedded equality laws, including Namibia, in too many cases “we have laws and party policies that are not implemented”.
She further emphasised the crucial importance of education, not only to achieve gender equality, but developmental goals overall.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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