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POVERTY, ENERGY & GENDER

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STATEMENT BY HONOURABLE MARLENE MUNGUNDA, DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND CHILD WELFARE ON POVERTY, ENERGY AND GENDER MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND CHILD WELFARE Tel: (061) 283 3111 Fax: (061) 22 0528 Private Bag 13359 Windhoek

Date: 29 MAY 2002 Venue: Mines and Energy Auditorium Director of Ceremonies Honourable Ministers Diplomatic Corps Members of Parliament Delegates from the SADC Region, Invited Guests, Members of the Media Compatriots The theme of this seminar “Poverty, Energy and Gender” is a very complex one and one that touches the very core of our daily lives. Energy is what we are made of and what we are immersed in. When we say that there is no more life – the life of that person has stopped. Our daily interactions and thought processes are exchange of energy. The quantum physics has discovered that what once considered solid mater is no more and no less than energy, and that indeed includes us as well. Had we more time and inclination to ponder over that exciting discovery it would give us deeper understanding on the nature of all life on unity and heightened sense of our responsibility for one another, for the environment and everything that lives. But before I slip into scientific argument, metaphysical, philosophical or even religious questions, let me go back to the more conventional understanding of energy: energy as heat and warmth, energy of the elements surrounding us, like that of wild fires and winds and hurricanes, of torrential rains and floods and of sandstorms. All these manifestations of energy can be very threatening. We often see them as a threat because we have no knowledge of manipulating them and using them to our benefit. Poverty is all pervading and it is an outcome of many factors: culturally, we are rather conservative and suspicious of innovation and initiative, historically we have been crippled by colonialism and its consequences that extended into the present, particularly when it comes to economy and unequal distribution of the national wealth and income; socially we are in the process of changing our traditional patterns which has its ups and downs and takes time to bring positive results, like in the area of gender equality. Women are the poorest of the poor, especially rural women, both in Namibia and elsewhere in the world. Due to their ignorance and the lack of awareness of the interplay of environmental factors, women sometimes unintentionally contribute to their own poverty by depleting natural resources and creating environmental imbalances. While aware of the gloomy big picture that surrounds less developed countries, particularly in Africa, the Namibian government is nevertheless trying whatever is in its power to fight poverty and uplift previously disadvantaged population. The very establishment of my Ministry, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare two years ago bears testimony to the fact the fate of women and children, and especially rural women, is one of the high Government’s priorities. Gender equality and economic empowerment of women are among the core issues that the new Ministry is dealing with. Likewise, the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s relentless efforts towards rural electrification have brought about significant improvements to the lives of our rural communities. The two ministries of education are attempting to bridge the years of previous educational neglect and introduce such reforms that would enable Namibians widen their educational base and become better able to absorb, apply and even create new knowledge which is a necessary precondition for overcoming poverty and backwardness. The Ministry of Health and Social Services, apart from grappling with the grave consequences of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has made it one of its priorities to afford all Namibians access to health care. Time doesn’t permit to go into details of all the Government’s achievements and I mentioned but a few by way of illustration. I have perused through the summaries of the papers to be presented at this Seminar. I must say that I was deeply impressed by the variety of ideas and solutions that have proven their practical worth in easing the energy and poverty problems elsewhere in Africa and in our region. I sincerely hope that these solutions, as well the recommendations of this Seminar would find their practical application in the Namibian rural communities as well as in other SADC countries. The time we live in calls for the policies of economic self-reliance and collective (regional) self-sufficiency, for solidarity, for innovation, for bold and original ideas and the use of those hidden potentials that we have in abundance without being aware of it. I have in mind human potentials – the dormant ingenuity of our people that need to be awakened and encouraged. I am sure that this Seminar will represent a great inspiration in that regard and that it will go a long way in helping Namibia solve some of its most acute energy and poverty problems. I wish the participants of this seminar lot of success and happy and memorable stay to those of you who have traveled long distances in order to share your visions and expertise with us. Thank You.