Namibia hosts Pan African Women Organisation HQ

WINDHOEK, JAN 21 – Namibia will for the next three years host the Pan African Women Organisation – Southern Africa Regional Office (PAWO – SARO).

This was revealed at the PAWO-SARO two-day regional secretariat meeting that began today in Windhoek.

Mrs Eunice Iipinge, the PAWO Executive Secretary of the Southern African chapter, said it was necessary to look back at the events of 2018 and embrace forthcoming national challenges in 2019.

“Let’s not lose hope in the fears of the unknown, we are not only hopeful women, we are dedicated women ready to face these challenges.”

She said PAWO had enabled substantial progress to be made concerning women’s rights and recognition of their role in society, working with other international women’s organizations.

The African continent has been blessed with numerous female revolutionaries, according to Iipinge, and she believes that PAWO became a transnational feminist movement.

“This movement has been instrumental in forging international consensus on a rights-based approach to women’s rights.”

PAWO is a women’s organization that was founded in 1962, Tanzania, a year before the founding of the Organization of African Unity.

It was premised on bringing together African women’s organisations in a single platform for sharing good practices and for joint action to promote human rights and gender equality.

“I am deeply honored that this historical movement on the continent has mobilized all of you to come and join us as we look back in order to look forward. As the adage goes if you do not know where you come from you cannot claim to know where you are going.”

Delegates from Tanzania, Malawi and Zimbabwe to name a few, will engage and deliberate on issues affecting women in the Southern African region as well as the entire African continent.

Said Iipinge, “We will also look at the programs that will enable us to promote human rights with a view to eliminating any form of discrimination, irrespective of birth, race, religion or sex; economic and social liberation of the African Continent in order to ensure full integration of women in economic and social development.” – musa@namibiadailynews.info