SWAPO Party Women’s Council secretary Eunice Iipinge has called for full representation of women in leadership positions in the private sector, judiciary and regional councils.

Iipinge made the call during the opening of the council’s central committee meeting in Windhoek on Saturday.

“Though we have 50/50 representation in the party structures and in parliament, there are still powerful institutions that remain male-dominated, especially in the private sector, judiciary and constituency councils,” she noted.

Iipinge further noted that gender equality has not been sufficiently mainstreamed even in the Swapo Party policies, as issues concerning women have been largely ignored.

She stressed that where women are represented at the highest levels of decision making bodies, differences have been made in raising awareness, changing agendas and providing a national gender sensitive legal framework.

Thus, she called on all women to promote their interests and mobilise one another to participate in all developmental activities.

Women in the party, she said, should remain united for the strategic positioning of the council to go forward while adhering to the Swapo Party and the women’s council constitutions.

“We should not make unity lip talk. We need to maintain our mandates as the women’s wing of the party that is to remain a women’s platform and transmission belt of Swapo Party policy, ideology and political programme with a specific mission to mobilise Namibian women for their full participation in the political, social and economic transformation of Namibia,” Iipinge said.

She called for order and unity during the election of National Executive Committee members that will take place on Saturday.

Iipinge urged women to elect those who will work in the interest of all Namibian women, and ensure that women’s noble goals become a reality for all.

Over 80 women attended the SPWC CC meeting.