Activist and Director of Women’s Solidarity Namibia say that though Namibia ranks 8th on the World Economic Forum's list of countries that have managed to close the gender gap in leadership positions, we should still strive to empower women on the ground.

Namises made these remarks during an interview on Touch FM’s Big Breakfast on International Women’s Day.

She emphasized that although Namibia has managed to adopt policies that allow women to serve in leadership positions, women on the ground still live in circumstances where traditional norms take precedence over the equality that the country aims to achieve.

She further stated that we have a long way to go in achieving equity for these women and that they are the ones that are directly affected by the hardship.

"They are women who are struggling to put food on the table; they are women who day to day have to live with men, some of whom are patriarchs and some who are small dictators and abusers."

The World Economic Forum ranked Namibia 8th on the 2022 Global Gender Gap Index. Which evaluates gender parity across four key dimensions, which include economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

According to the report, Namibia has managed to close the gap in key areas by 80.7%.