Comfortably re-elected
- Haingura promises to push for more women representation

By Asser Ntinda
Newly reelected Secretary for SWAPO Party Women's Council, Cde Petrina Haingura, says she will push for more women representation in decision making structures of the SWAPO Party and the government to achieve the 50/50 representation by 2013.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday on the outcome of the SPWC congress held in Swakopmund last weekend, Cde Haingura said that the congress discussed various issues and took decisions that would shape its activities and programmes before next year's elective congress of the SWAPO Party.

One of the key decisions taken was to fast-track women representation in decision making organs of the Party and the government, which she said was long overdue. She said she would firmly push for the realization of that goal by 2013.

"We have long campaigned for equal representation in decision making structures of the Party and the government," she said. "While progress has been made in this regard, more still needs to be done. We will continue to intensify our efforts to achieve this objective sooner than later."

Cde Haingura had also vowed to put legal mechanisms in place both at national and Party levels to effect amendments in the country's Constitution, as well as that of the Party. Her hammer is also out to reform existing laws to make provision for women quotas to achieve gender balance in public institutions.

"We are not going to relax on this goal," she said. "We want to develop the capacity of women on advocacy, lobbying skills and to empower them to rebuild their confidence to effectively participate in political and economic activities as a united force."

The Women Council also took a decision to press the government to allocate more resources to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to continue providing life-saving drugs, especially drugs for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. Steps should also be taken to provide feeding schemes to all vulnerable children at pre-primary and primary schools to avoid school dropouts, and increase bursary allocation and study loans to girls and vulnerable children.

The Women's Council has also decided to create a veteran women advisory structure consisting of 13 women cadres from all the 13 regions that will attend the Council's central committee meetings as nonvoting members.

Cde Haingura also said the Council would press for better salaries of the Party functionaries at all levels, while raising awareness on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse among young people.

The Congress was held under the theme "Promoting Access and Participation of Women and Girls to Education, Training, Science and Technology." It was attended by 493 delegates.

SWAPO Party Secretary General, Cde Pendukeni Iivula- Ithana, who is also SPWC Central Committee member, officiated at the Congress. Incumbent SPWC Secretary, Cde Haingura, retained her position by beating Cde Karin Hishidimbwa. She won with 353 votes, while Cde Hishidimbwa got 91 votes. Cde Eunice Ipinge was elected SWPC Deputy Secretary. She won with 233 votes, defeating Cde Mildred Jantjies and Cde Mwetulamba Shingenge Haipinge who got 127 and 75 votes respectively.

Election for SWPC Central Committee members also went smoothly, with SWAPO Party Secretary General, Cde Iivula- Ithana scoring the highest votes, 217. She was followed by Cde Haingura and Cde Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who got 191 and 171 votes respectively.