Windhoek: Speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has called on women parliamentarians to strengthen the institutional functioning of the Joint Women Parliamentary Caucus (JWPC) and translate regional and international gender commitments into effective national legislation.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila made the call on Friday at the opening of the two-day JWPC Conference in Windhoek. She emphasized that the gathering embodies Namibia's democratic aspirations through cross-party solidarity, shared leadership, and a commitment to equality for all Namibians.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila highlighted the disparity in representation, noting that as of January 2026, women constituted 42.3 percent of the National Assembly compared to 16.6 percent in the National Council. She urged that this disparity serves as a call to action, signaling that the journey towards gender-equal representation and gender-responsive governance is far from over.

The conference is described as a critical juncture for the caucus, providing an opportunity for institutional consolidation and strategic capacity-building. A key item on the agenda is the adoption of the JWPC Constitution, which Kuugongelwa-Amadhila sees as a foundational charter to transform the caucus into a formalized and sustainable institution.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stated that the adoption of this Constitution would be a historic milestone, providing the institutional framework necessary to hold current and future generations of women parliamentarians accountable to a shared vision. She underscored the need for parliamentarians to move beyond acknowledging commitments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development, by strengthening their ability to domesticize these commitments through legislation and executive oversight.

She also emphasized the importance of collaboration with government stakeholders and civil society organizations in advancing gender-responsive governance. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila noted that the conference serves as a space for dialogue not just among parliamentarians but also with key government stakeholders and civil society organizations, whose experiences and insights are invaluable for creating a unified, effective strategy.