SPWC to record women's history
The Swapo Party Women’s Council has embarked on a mission to capture biographies and autobiographies of female liberation struggle icons whose stories remain untold to this day.
The project is spearheaded by SPCW secretary Fransina Kahungu, who in a recent interview with this paper went at length to explain their motivation.
Chief among them is the fact that despite their instrumental role in Namibia’s struggle and fight for independence, most women’s stories remain untold and there are no documents nor literature wherein their contributions are properly recorded.
The book will cover the stories of women, famous and little-known, who made outstanding contributions pre and post independence.
The envisioned book intends to capture all unique narratives of the extraordinary women who not only played a role in the liberation struggle, but in other spheres of life.
“Presently, every veteran has a unique story and memories. Many veterans of the liberation struggle have passed on with untold history. The simple act of asking to hear a veteran’s story can make it possible to carry their stories on for future generations,” Kahungu said.
The book will be titled ‘The toil of women comforts the nation’.
In it, SPWC will chronicle key events, milestones and initiatives undertaken by female liberation struggle stalwarts and others who contributed to the socioeconomic development in an independent Namibia in their unique ways.
“We want to explore the many challenges these women faced along the way, how they responded to [the challenges], as well as dwell on lessons
learned from the history of the SPWC that can inform current and future strategies for women’s empowerment and political participation,” Kahungu said.
The first phase of this project will kick off with the appointment of a committee that will be responsible for information and advice.
The committee that will comprise historians and political scientists and researchers will be assisting with the gathering of information from May to September 2024.
The assigned committee is expected to visit all regions, and interview the key informants. The book is expected to be published between January and March 2025.
“We have female veterans who played an instrumental role in the liberation struggle. Some veterans such as the late Rosalia Nghidinwa and our former secretary general and minister of justice Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana were providing food, nursed Plan soldiers, mobilised, raised funds, lobbied for support and became soldiers. They did, however, not participate in Plan guerilla units to the same extent as men. Whether their roles were given the same value as those that men performed during the war remains open for interrogation,” she said.
She continued: “Through this book, SPWC will collect historical stories and testimonies from current and former members of SPWC, as well as other stakeholders involved in women’s activism and politics in Namibia. Investigate the origins, structure and changes in the SPWC’s organisation and leadership, as well as assessing the SPWC advocacy efforts campaigns, and contributions to shaping gender policies and legislation.”
The book will also carry a section on intersectionality and social justice that intends to explore how the SPWC addresses issues of gender, race, class and ethics within its agenda.
It will also look at challenges a n d
opportunities faced by the SPWC in achieving its goals and objectives. The author will reflect on the historical significance of the SPWC and its implications for future strategies, movements and activism in Namibia.
The book intends to empower and mobilise other women towards active participation in politics, cultural and socioeconomic activities, religious development, and advancement of gender equality.