Eba Kandovazu
THE first anniversary of the International Women’s Centre (IWPC) was on Monday in Windhoek, a year after its launch by President Hage Geingob.
“The IWPC aspires to become a centre of excellence, which captures a unique niche of innovative distinction among institutions working with women, peace and security worldwide, by taking on the challenge of further conceptualising and operationalising the concept of women’s influence in peace processes. It also aims to strengthen regional and international innovation to advance the implementation of Women, Peace and Security agenda. It further intends to encourage inter-generational dialogues to harness the collective power of youth to fight gender inequality for a better, peaceful and inclusive society,” Deputy Prime Minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says during her address to mark the centre’s first anniversary.
“The government of the Republic of Namibia is committed to the full implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which requires that the women’s peace and security agenda be mainstreamed in all developmental plans and aspirations to ensure prosperity for all. We recognise that gender equality, protection of women’s rights and the importance of their participation and leadership in conflict prevention, resolution and peace building as critical goals and strategy in the realization of UNSCR 1325.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah stresses that although the pandemic posed a number of challenges, Namibia was able to attended and participate in person the recent General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“I participated in two important side events focused on the WPS agenda. The first event was on the responsibility to protect women and the link to the women, peace and security agenda, focusing on the importance of applying gender-sensitive protection measures to atrocity situations, including strategies of prevention, accountability and reconciliation. In this event, I highlighted the need to further discuss the responsibility to protect the women peace and security agenda within the General Assembly, while maintaining the inclusion of women in peace-negotiations,” she says.
“At the same occasion I underlined the long-time impact of targeted atrocity, giving Namibia’s example of Genocide committed by the imperial Germany over 100 years ago. The second event focused on the importance of maintaining women’s leadership in post-pandemic life, and the importance of maintaining the achievements attained in women in conflict resolution, peacekeeping and leadership.”
