The Secretary General of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Ms Boemo Sekgoma, has advised Namibia to establish a National Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.

Speaking at a high-level Roundtable on Women in Politics and Decision-Making Roles held in Swakopmund, Ms Sekgoma cautioned that the journey towards gender parity in politics requires both institutional muscle and sustained commitment.

She applauded Namibia’s gender milestones, including the recent election of Her Excellency Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the country’s first female President, but stressed that political progress must be made impactful.

“Women make up only 40% of the National Assembly. That is progress, yes, but not parity,” Sekgoma observed.

She added, “Representation without impact is like thunder without rain. Our challenge now is to translate these numerical gains into meaningful power, the kind that shapes policy, holds the executive accountable, and changes lives.”

Sekgoma told women parliamentarians, political party representatives, and civil society actors attending the workshop that the National Assembly would benefit from the formation of a cross-party National Women’s Parliamentary Caucus that can amplify the voices of women and girls across Namibia.

“It can support the President and the Speaker in delivering inclusive governance. Further, it can become an engine for legislative activism, public outreach, policy development, and strategic oversight that is unapologetically gender-responsive,” she said.

Sekgoma pledged the full support of the SADC PF in helping to build the capacity of women MPs to drive legislative change and strengthen oversight. She stressed that women empowerment must be rooted in sustainable structures, backed by resources, and supported by political will.

“The movement to empower women must be sustainable in the long term. Without sustainability, gains made may be quickly and suddenly lost,” she cautioned.

She urged Namibia to domesticate all gender-related regional and international conventions and treaties it has ratified, saying these instruments must be treated not as optional, but as obligations.

Addressing entrenched obstacles to gender equality in politics, Sekgoma did not mince her words: “Patriarchy is still alive and well. It lurks in parliamentary corridors, in social media spaces, and even in the drafting of laws. But this can be overcome - not by silence, but by solidarity. Not by retreat, but by relentless engagement.”

She warned against tokenism in women’s leadership, and invoked the example of Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

“We must ensure that women leadership does not become an isolated occurrence in the timeline of history,” she said, and called for enabling frameworks to ensure continuity and institutional support for women in leadership.

Sekgoma further called for cross-party collaboration, noting that gender equality is a cause that transcends political affiliations. She proposed that parliaments develop their own internal policies that favour dialogue on shared priorities such as climate action, youth development, and the fight against gender-based violence.

“Gender-based violence must cease. Authorities must act robustly to prosecute perpetrators. There should be no half-measures,” she declared, referencing the SADC Model Law on GBV which prescribes both criminal penalties and civil remedies.

Sekgoma called for relentlessness in pursuit of gender equality.

“This Roundtable is not the end. It is a beginning. Use this space to build alliances, to learn from each other, and to prepare, not just to sit in Parliament, but to shape it,” she said.

She challenged Parliament to ensure gender-sensitive laws are implemented.

“Unless those laws are enforced, they remain promissory notes - beautiful words without a bankable future,” she said.

She reiterated SADC PF’s commitment to supporting national parliaments in advancing gender equality, democratic governance, and inclusive development across the SADC region.