NO 50-50, NO VOTE, SAY WOMEN
By Lindsay Dentlinger, Windhoek

July 11, 2003 – (The Namibian - Windhoek) WOMEN'S activists on Wednesday vowed not to vote for political parties that do not include their concerns in their manifestos or which lack equal representation on their party lists.

Singing "watch out men, the women are coming", representatives of communities in more than 30 towns and villages across the country, re-committed themselves to fighting for their rights.

The commitment was made at the end of a three-day training workshop in Windhoek organised by the Namibian Women's Manifesto Network, which aims to mobilise more women to participate in politics.

The 50/50 Bill, which requires Government to adhere to gender balance, has not yet come before Parliament.

Women are being urged to not only take part in upcoming elections, but to stand for local authority elections with the aim of increasing the number of women in local government from 45 per cent to 50 per cent.

Over the next four months, the network intends to hold about 60 workshops countrywide to mobilise women to register and vote.

Meetings will also be held with political parties to request them to put an equal number of men and women on their party lists (using the 'zebra principle' of alternating men and women) and to include women's rights in their party manifestos.

The Network's spokesperson, Elizabeth Khaxas, said: "We only need political will to implement the principle of 50/50 women and men in government and we want to make sure in the forthcoming local authorities elections that political parties have the will to do right by the women of this country".

Three years ago the network started a campaign to amend electoral acts to bring about gender balance in all elected positions in Government.

This culminated in the drafting of the 50/50 bill.

For over a year, it has been under the review of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petitions.

The network had hoped that the bill would have been adopted by the next elections.

"Women have the right to equal access to the services of local government, as well as the right to be treated equally in these services," said Khaxas, as women chanted "No 50/50, no vote".

During the gathering women were also briefed on the Domestic Violence Act which was gazetted last month, as well as treatments available for HIV-AIDS.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200307110134.html