Women’s share in local govt up

WOMEN were, once again, winners in the Local Authority elections: their representation has increased by some two per cent – excluding the Grootfontein results.

An initial study of the results revealed that women gained 123 seats of 283 countrywide – up to 43,4 per cent from 41,3 per cent during the last elections. Of the 123 seats for women, Swapo won 78 for its candidates, the DTA 18, Congress of Democrats 14 (their Lüderitz candidate excluded), UDF nine, National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) three and the Civic Association of Henties Bay one.The Republican Party (RP) with four seats countrywide has no women representative; nor have the Gobabis, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Omaruru residents’ associations.Several towns have a majority of women deciding on local policies.At Berseba, Koes, Maltahöhe and Otavi, there is only one male councillor out of five while at Arandis with (four), Bethanie (three), Kalkrand (three), Kamanjab (three), Katima Mulilo (four), Leonardville (three), Okahandja (five), Rundu (four) and Tses (three), women are also in the majority.At Walvis Bay, women share an equal number (five) with the men on the Council.Usakos has no female representation.Veronica De Klerk, Executive Director of Womens’ Action for Development (WAD), welcomed the news with caution.De Klerk said although the improvement should be applauded, it was clear that some political parties still gave priority to men.This was illustrated by the sequence in which names were listed.”This was unfortunately less than what women and women’s organisations had hoped for.To put it bluntly, women hoped for at least 50 per cent representation because it is now 14 years down the line.If women say that we are happy, I’m afraid that parties will become complacent and think that they have done enough,” the woman rights campaigner said.She said the ‘zebra-crossing’ principle was ostensibly applied mostly at smaller towns, whereas the sequence of nominations for the larger towns indicated some preference for male candidates.”On the party lists for larger towns, where men enjoyed preference in terms of sequence, women very often occupied lower listing on party lists, and thus did not make it onto Council,” she said.She said such moves by different parties and organisations compromised the opportunities for women to gain experience as councillors in larger towns.”Potential women candidates should take note of this tendency and should thus address this scenario within party ranks with the view to rectifying a similarly prejudiced listing in the forthcoming elections later this year,” she said.She called on the Government to introduce a compulsory alternating candidates listing pattern – starting with women based on their majority numbers.She cautioned that although women had worked hard to get into these positions, the actual hard work had just begun “which will eventually prove to the voters the worth of women candidates, whom they have put into positions of power”.Of the 123 seats for women, Swapo won 78 for its candidates, the DTA 18, Congress of Democrats 14 (their Lüderitz candidate excluded), UDF nine, National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) three and the Civic Association of Henties Bay one.The Republican Party (RP) with four seats countrywide has no women representative; nor have the Gobabis, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Omaruru residents’ associations.Several towns have a majority of women deciding on local policies.At Berseba, Koes, Maltahöhe and Otavi, there is only one male councillor out of five while at Arandis with (four), Bethanie (three), Kalkrand (three), Kamanjab (three), Katima Mulilo (four), Leonardville (three), Okahandja (five), Rundu (four) and Tses (three), women are also in the majority.At Walvis Bay, women share an equal number (five) with the men on the Council.Usakos has no female representation.Veronica De Klerk, Executive Director of Womens’ Action for Development (WAD), welcomed the news with caution.De Klerk said although the improvement should be applauded, it was clear that some political parties still gave priority to men.This was illustrated by the sequence in which names were listed.”This was unfortunately less than what women and women’s organisations had hoped for.To put it bluntly, women hoped for at least 50 per cent representation because it is now 14 years down the line.If women say that we are happy, I’m afraid that parties will become complacent and think that they have done enough,” the woman rights campaigner said.She said the ‘zebra-crossing’ principle was ostensibly applied mostly at smaller towns, whereas the sequence of nominations for the larger towns indicated some preference for male candidates.”On the party lists for larger towns, where men enjoyed preference in terms of sequence, women very often occupied lower listing on party lists, and thus did not make it onto Council,” she said.She said such moves by different parties and organisations compromised the opportunities for women to gain experience as councillors in larger towns.”Potential women candidates should take note of this tendency and should thus address this scenario within party ranks with the view to rectifying a similarly prejudiced listing in the forthcoming elections later this year,” she said.She called on the Government to introduce a compulsory alternating candidates listing pattern – starting with women based on their majority numbers.She cautioned that although women had worked hard to get into these positions, the actual hard work had just begun “which will eventually prove to the voters the worth of women candidates, whom they have put into positions of power”.