Catholic Women in Namibia Lauded for Boosting Government Efforts towards Child Care

The Namibian government official said that when NCWM members address gender-based violence, they are giving effect to the country’s laws and policies while also restoring dignity to families.

“When you train women and men in practical skills, you are advancing our economic empowerment agenda. When you promote peaceful coexistence, you are building social cohesion and stability. In short, you are putting the values of our Constitution into action,” she said at the event that was held at Anamulenge, Outapi Omusati Region.

Dr. Kuugongelwa compared the Catholic women’s mandate and policy advocacy efforts to the legacy of the men and women who she said sacrificed their lives for the nation’s independence, noting that their vision was rooted in justice and equality.

“You may not carry arms, but you carry compassion. You may not fight battles on the battlefield, but you fight them in the home, in the classroom, in the clinic, and in the community hall,” she said in her keynote address published on Tuesday, September 9.

She added, “You are heroes in your own right, advancing the cause of dignity and justice with every life you uplift. By empowering women and men, you are honoring the sacrifices of our national heroes and heroines, and carrying forward their torch of hope.”

More in Africa

South African Catholic Bishop Known for Liturgical Reform at Conference Dies at 76

Read the article

Dr. Kuugongelwa stated that the role of women demonstrates that development is a shared responsibility and should not be perceived as the sole mandate of the government.

“We may be the custodians of the public interest, as government, but true transformation requires the collaboration of all, the state, the church, civil society, the private sector, and communities themselves,” she said.

She elaborated that it is only by joining hands across diversity that the people of God in the country can truly build the Namibia they dream of.

“That is why the Catholic women's movement is so important,” she said, and added, “You remind us that complementarity of efforts is not just desirable but necessary, that empowerment is not a slogan but a lived reality when women and men, girls and boys, are given the tools, the opportunities, and the support they need to flourish.”

The Namibian National Assembly speaker said that the government of the Southern African nation takes pride in working hand in hand with the Church subsidize payments at schools and hospitals.

The collaboration between the church and the government, she said, is “not simply a gesture of goodwill” but “a recognition of the indispensable role that the Church continues to play in delivering essential services and uplifting communities.”

“Ours is a partnership grounded in trust and mutual respect, and it remains as important today as it was before independence,” she said.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.