Women Born In The 1950s

"South Africa’s clear vision for growth and development is outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) in the context of realisation of socio-economic rights and redistribution of wealth to redress the apartheid inequalities of the past."

"Agenda 2023 can only be realised through capable states."

"it is only through proper commitment, strategies and planning that South Africa can find solutions to its citizens’ day-to-day challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and crime"

"Finally, Madam President, Namibia hopes that this Dialogue should not be an end in itself but a beginning of multilateral discussions that will help the international community to find solution to this challenge. This Dialogue should also look at the capacity of the receiving State with the view to helping it to better manage the challenge posed by migration. In this regard, the need for technical and humanitarian assistance for the developing countries should be recognized and addressed. In this context, Namibia welcomes and supports the proposal of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to establish an International Forum for Dialogue on Migration and Development."

"We can only do that through sharing, learning from others and also developing our own curriculum from the content generated from this conference"

"Our focus is to build a partnership between BRICS and Africa to unlock mutually beneficial opportunities for increased trade, investment, and infrastructure."

"A helping hand can surely make a significant difference; a helping hand touches and can change lives."

"A school is to a child what a minerals refinery is to precious gems."

"We are realists and therefore recognize that an immigration policy in today's world should also address security concerns of both receiving states and migrants. We will need to find ways to ensure that state security and the obligations to guarantee social, economic, security and safety to its citizens are not compromised."

"We recognise the positive effects that migration can have on economic development of both the countries of origin and the countries of destination. However, we are convinced that the migration of skilled persons presents a drain to the country of origin because it looses the investment made in their training. We therefore hope that this High-level Dialogue will provide us with best ideas that will help us formulate policy guidelines that ensure that brain gain in some countries does not mean brain drain in others. In this regard, we recognize the need for more cooperation between States and nonState actors in maximising development benefits derived from Migration. We welcome the participation of the private sector, non-governmental organisations and civil society in this Dialogue."

"The foundation of Namibian immigration policy is our desire to promote development with equity and to manage migration in order to ensure that it contributes to our over-all development objectives and does not undermine the progress we have made so far. We are, therefore, seeking to attract sustainable and suitable investment into the country, importation of specific skills and their transfer to Namibians. We also believe that those who come can learn new skills from us that they will eventually take with them."

"Women should not have to make a choice between work and the wellbeing of their children."

"My delegation is very pleased to participate in this High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. This important forum offers Member States an opportunity to address one of the global challenges facing the world today, the international migration. We welcome the opportunity to discuss and reflect more on these issues which have both common and also different implications for our countries and indeed for the world at large. In this regard, Namibia reiterates its full support for the African Common Position on Migration and Development adopted in Banjul"

"Migration is multi-faceted and complex, affecting and being affected by human security, economic, social and political developments, gender inequality as well as many other processes."

"Therefore, responses to migration must be comprehensive, contextually appropriate and cognizant of both the contribution and effects of migration to development, security and political stability. It is equally important to take into consideration that the majority of migrants worldwide are women and in many places they outnumber male migrants. Gender inequality contributes to the forced migration of women and girls and also to their trafficking."

"I rise as a straight woman"

"What if it is said we as women sleep with a leader, this is destructive for us women"

"Go and do that, I am a lawmaker and you do not have a foot to stand on. I have paid up lawyers with Legal Shield"

"Homosexuals were responsible for the HIV and AIDS pandemic"

"Allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to congratulate you on your election as President of the 61st Session of the General Assembly. I would like to assure you, Madam President, of my delegation's full support and cooperation."

"I contacted a lawyer at Sisa Namandje, and Mungunda was served a summons, but did not defend herself. Instead, she visited the office asking to pay N$500 per month."

"We should fight for gender equality: for equality between men and women in all areas of life. Equality means an end to domination, and building mutual respect and self respect."

"Today, the inequalities in the socio economic set-up have created further negative consequences when it comes to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which is taking its toll on our nation’s productive and reproductive women and men. The disease is preventable, but some cultural beliefs and traditional norms encourage its spread. Women are generally less well-informed than men: the majority of women live in remote rural settings and in poor living conditions where they are less likely to get adequate information about how to protect themselves from unsafe sex, and how to empower themselves to say “No” to sex. Moreover, men continue to have an upper hand on matters of sexual relations."

"For reasons related to their weak socio-economic positions, women rely on the law and its enforcement. Many countries have sought, through constitutional and other legal instruments including labour codes, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex or to proclaim equality between women and men as a fundamental human right. However, certain classes of workers, such as domestic workers, agricultural workers and those engaged in small enterprises or family undertakings, are often excluded from the scope of application, and women predominate in these categories."

"The Namibian government attaches great importance to gender issues, with the aim that women can operate on par with their male counterparts. To illustrate this, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare was created, with one of its core functions being the mainstreaming of gender into all government and private institutions."

"When we come up with programmes aimed at raising awareness on gender equality, it is imperative that we take cognisance of directing these programmes at men: most of them have misunderstood the concept of equality, either intentionally or through ignorance. The idea of the male breadwinner and the female homemaker is still dominant in many societies – and southern Africa is no exception."

"In some countries that have seen a rise of religious fundamentalism, and in others that are experiencing a state of transition, there is evidence of the reinforcement of these traditional attitudes. A prerequisite, therefore, is to raise awareness and to sensitise communities, so that those in decision-making positions in national and local-level government, among employers, in workers’ organisations and in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have the appropriate mindsets and technical capacity to understand and deal with the issues raised above. Indeed, such gender awareness should be introduced as part of general training programmes."

"These are just some of the Namibian Government’s efforts to enable women to enjoy the benefits of the country they helped liberate."

"The programmes should also be aimed at women themselves, especially poor and uneducated women who have been so socialised or bound by a “culture of poverty” that their attitude is one of dependence – rather than of being proactive in order to mobilise themselves for change and progress. In addition, since socialisation begins at home, sensitisation efforts should also target family members and local communities."

"It is really both a privilege and a delight to have this opportunity of being here at the Southern African Regional Workshop on the Situation of Gender and to have the opportunity of spending a few moments with you this morning, while trying to share some information that would nodoubt be useful in our work."

"I am confident that you will all participate in the information-sharing so that you will eventually come up with tangible recommendations that can be adopted as possible solutions to the problems faced by our women in particular."

"We have a clinics like Etanga and Otjondeka but they have not benefited. Kunene is still in need of rural electrification. Most schools are not electrified, only a few are."

"It is a well-known fact that women in most parts of the world face a multitude of injustices, disparities and discrimination, unlike their male counterparts. Women workers, for example, face many barriers on their way to equal participation and leadership because entry to that world is based on credentials– which many women have never obtained."

"This document is thick and people were supposed to have been given this document earlier for them to come prepared which will see meaningful contributions made"

"As children, they suffer discrimination within their own family, which is followed by a lack of opportunity in education and training. As young women, they suffer the consequences of their lower levels of literacy, education, legal understanding, confidence and awareness by finding only poorly paid jobs that require a low level of skill. As young mothers, they put up with their lack of financial autonomy and free time to honour their family commitments. Constrained by their reproductive role, when they return to part-time employment after a period of motherhood, they frequently experience what is known as downward occupational mobility, and get stuck in lower-grade positions."

"Allow me to thank the FES, the organisers of this workshop, for the job well done. I certainly hope this interaction will continue, and that you come up with recommendations that will eventually help us reach our target of 30% representation by women at the forthcoming parliamentary elections. For the visitors, I welcome you all, and at the same time I wish to invite you to take some time off from your busy schedules and explore the beauty of our country and its friendly people."

"Kunene is marginalized all the time. The electricity coming from Ruacana via Etoto, those people have not benefited. People in Okahozu and Okaupaue were also supposed to benefit but they did not. There is a need for rural electrification in the region. Most people here are not enjoying the cake of Namibia, only a few have benefited"

"The youth who claim to be fighting for land are not doing it in the interest of landless Namibians, but rather for their own “selfish political agendas"

"I know the Namibian youth and those that say they are fighting for land, they are not doing it for the people, they are doing it for positions…. If you look around why don't you see them here? It is because they are fighting for Windhoek land only"

"The act promotes the concept of sustainable development in that it requires that social, economic and environmental factors are integrated in the planning of mines. Such an approach will require the development and implementation of appropriate social and labour plans as well as sustainable environmental management plans."

"They are there de-bushing in Windhoek. Why can't they also go to their hometowns and villages and de-bush there? This is why I say they are not fighting the land issue the way they should. The youth wing of Swapo used to fight for development and not what we are currently seeing. They must stop politicising the land issue"

"In this regard appropriate skills development programmes should be put in place and integrated into the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources. Opportunities must also be made available for previously disadvantaged people, including women."

"The key concerns from the public mainly have to do with community issues and the adverse impact of environmental degradation, which were not addressed by the previous minerals act."

"If you look at the situation in South Africa, Namibia is better off but if we are not careful we will end up like them and we know how it happened there,"

"The act promotes the concept of sustainable development in that it requires that social, economic and environmental factors are integrated in the planning of mines."

"Through growth and development, we aspire for, the country will thrive, and the future of South Africans will look bright and have hope"

"Virgin Atlantic is an airline we have actively pursued for the past few years to begin flights to Kenya and we are overjoyed with their decision to add Nairobi to their route schedule. Virgin Atlantic”s quality, high standards and distinction as one of the world”s premier airlines is what we have been pursuing and we know that they will build not only the visitor travel to Kenya but also the business travel sector from the UK and North America."

"Greater beneficiation in the mineral sector requires collaboration from all stakeholders in terms of, among other things, creating an enabling environment throughout the minerals and mining value chain."

"Beneficiation is crucial to ensure that the country maximises the benefits from its mineral resources, especially in terms of economic development and employment potential."

"We should first develop our minds and then we can talk of development"