Dear readers.Welcome to another edition of Sister Namibia, in which we bring you a profile of one of Namibia's staunchest champions for women's rights The effort to secure equal rights for women and to remove gender discrimination from laws, institutions, and behavioral patterns. The women's rights movement began in the nineteenth century with the demand by some women reformers for the right to vote, known as suffrage, and , Ottilie Abrahams. During the interview it became clear that the profile should actually have been a book, documenting the rich life experiences of this educator who has remained true to her principles of participatory democracy Participatory democracy is a process emphasizing the broad participation (decision making) of constituents in the direction and operation of political systems. While etymological roots imply that any democracy would rely on the participation of its citizens (the Greek demos and education for liberation based on the solid foundation of critical thinking and the willingness to take responsibility for one's own governance. Our second story celebrates the positive results of the recent Local Authority elections with regard to the representation of women. However, it asks how women are going to move beyond the current 4 percent representation at the regional level in the forthcoming Regional Authority elections. With 96 percent men represented on the Regional Councils, you would be forgiven for believing that there are no women living in the regions of Namibia Namibia is divided into 13 administrative regions: Regions of Namibia
Other stories deal with the political participation of women with disabilities, and the findings of a study by Lironga Eparu on experiences of people living with HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. and Aids regarding issues of treatment. The community work of the Namibian Women's Network is presented, and rising star Patricia Ochurus explains that she was "born to sing". Our story from Malawi portrays the undaunting struggle of former political prisoner and presidential candidate Vera Chirwa for ihe full recognition of women's human rights and freedoms in her country. With the 15th anniversary of Sister Namibia to be celebrated later this year, we showcase the photography of Tanja Bause of The Namibian on our middle pages with the aim of motivating all women photographers to send us a selection of their work. This will be displayed in a photography exhibition during our anniversary activities. Enjoy! Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Sister Namibia. Permission for copyright should be sought from the editor. who we are Sister Namibia is an autonomous, non-governmental women's human rights organisation that works towards a society liberated from patriarchal domination in which all people have equal rights and opportunities and live in peace, prosperity and dignity. Our mission is to empower girls and women in our struggle for gender equity and equality through media work, capacity building, research, documentation, networking and collective action. Our goals are: * to increase awareness among women of the ways in which political, social, cultural, legal and economic systems of power control and oppress op·press tr.v. op·pressed, op·press·ing, op·press·es 1. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority: a people who were oppressed by tyranny. 2. girls and women * to oppose and challenge sexism, racism, homophobia homophobia Psychology An irrationally negative attitude toward those with homosexual orientation, or toward becoming homosexual. See Closet, Gay-bashing, Heterosexism. Cf Gay, Homosexual, Phobia. and other discourses and practices that divide and oppress people. * to promote the full recognition and protection of the human rights of all girls and women * to promote women's participation in good governance The terms governance and good governance are increasingly being used in development literature. Governance describes the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). based on gender justice. These activities are integrated into our Women's Media, Capacity Building and Advocacy Project. Susbscribe to Sister Namibia! Our magazine Sister Namibia is published every two months and distributed as an insert to The Namibian as well as through NGO NGO abbr. nongovernmental organization Noun 1. NGO - an organization that is not part of the local or state or federal government nongovernmental organization networks. While this method of distribution reaches many people, it may not (always) reach you. Complete the yellow subscription form and send it to us with a cheque or postal order to ensure that you receive your own copy without fail! Join the Sister Namibia Resource Centre Our resource centre holds the largest collection of feminist and gender-related materials in Namibia, focusing on women's political and economic empowerment, women's human rights including our sexual and reproductive rights Reproductive rights or procreative liberty is what supporters view as human rights in areas of sexual reproduction. Advocates of reproductive rights support the right to control one's reproductive functions, such as the rights to reproduce (such as opposition to forced , and HIV/Aids as a gender issue. Students and researchers are welcome to become a member and borrow our materials. Our postal address is: PO Box 40092, Windhoek, Namibia Telephone: 00264 (0)61 - 230618 or 230757 Fax: 236371 e-mail: sister@iafrica.com.na Our physical address is: 163 Nelson Mandela Noun 1. Nelson Mandela - South African statesman who was released from prison to become the nation's first democratically elected president in 1994 (born in 1918) Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Avenue, Eros, Windhoek Sister Namibia's work is sponsored by the Royal Netherlands Embassy, HIVOS HIVOS Humanistisch Instituut voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (Dutch: International Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries) HIVOS High Vacuum Orbital Simulator , the Heinrich Boll Foundation and Oxfam Canada. |
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