The right of women to lead will be at the center of discussions when stakeholders meet for the third edition of the Nala Feminist Collective (Nalafem), Summit in Windhoek, Namibia early next month, organizers of the meeting have announced.
Organised in partnership with the Government of Namibia, the summit scheduled to convene on July 1, 2024 in the capital of the Southern African aims aim to address key challenges hindering women’s full participation in politics and leadership roles across Africa.
Themed “Women’s Right To Lead,” the Cabinet of Namibia officially sanctioned the country’s co-hosting of the esteemed Summit during the 7th Cabinet Decisions session on May 9, 2024, according a communiqué mailed to NewsWatch. It says the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Honorable Emma Theofelus made the announcement.
The press release says Minister Theofelus in her statement, highlighted that the Cabinet’s approval underscores Namibia’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s leadership on both national and continental levels.
“The summit will serve as a pivotal platform for Africa’s women leaders from different sectors including politics and activism to convene, share best practices, and cultivate collaborations between the public and civil society,” the communiqué reads in part. “With a commitment to advocacy, accountability, innovation, and sustained partnerships, the Nalafem Summit has played a crucial role in accelerating the realization of gender commitments across the continent since its inception in Abuja, Nigeria in 2022”.
In its third edition, the Nalafem Summit has established itself as one of Africa’s largest multigenerational platforms that brings together influential change-makers, activists and captivating speakers who are dedicated to advancing women’s development and empowerment.
Fostering intergenerational accountability
Banking on the successes of the inaugural edition in Abuja, and second edition that held last year in Nairobi, Kenya, organizers hope the 3rd edition of the Summit “will once more foster intergenerational accountability”. This, “while deepening conversations on the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto demands, thereby creating a platform for information sharing, capacity support, and financing for young women’s leadership”.
More specifically, the Summit, organizers say, will look to enable safety for women in politics by addressing cybersecurity challenges and combatting online harassment that hinders women’s full participation. It also seeks to mobilize for women’s financial freedom by leveraging ICT and e-commerce for women’s education, entrepreneurship, and increased political participation, according to the Nalafem statement.
Panels and keynotes from distinguished speakers and partners will feature during the exclusive event. The speakers will include former presidents, diplomats, civil society and movement leaders, who will enrich discussions, and amplify the summit’s impact in a bid to contribute to the establishment of a Multigenerational Support System, promote innovation in digital access and education for girls, and recognize the exemplary leadership of African women leaders through the Nalafem Awards Ceremony.
Nalafem is a Pan-African multigenerational platform of women politicians and activists with a mission to Foster, Enable, and Mobilize (FEM), for transformative feminist leadership.
Meanwhile the Cabinet of Namibia is an appointed body established by Chapter 6 (Articles 35-42) of the country’s Constitution. It is mandated to include the President of Namibia, the Prime Minister of Namibia, and any positions that the President so appoints.
