NewAfricanWoman Issue 35 - Flipbook - Page 16
NAW Interview
MONICA GEINGOS – FIRST LADY OF NAMIBIA
Women need real
power, not tokenism
We don’t hear much about African First Ladies and what they do. But if there is one
that should be getting our attention, it is Monica Geingos – the wife of Namibian
President Hage Geingob. Our editor reGina Jane Jere caught up with her to discuss
a broad range of issues – from politics and motherhood to her strengths as one of
Africa’s most successful businesswomen, a feat she earned before marrying President
Geingob. Her candour does not disappoint. Africa has a new breed of ‘presidential
spouses’ – a term she prefers to that of ‘First Lady’. Find out why.
NAW: To begin with, 2015 was a very special year
for women in Africa, with the African Union declaring it “Year of Women Empowerment: Towards
Agenda 2063”. I know that it is a long-term objective of the AU and the jury’s still out there what it
achieved. You are not just as a First Lady, but a
respected and successful business woman, how do
you view the status of African women today and do
such initiatives as the AU did last year, make any
significant impact?
Monica Geingos: Having an annual theme will never
really have a significant impact because that’s not the purpose of having a theme. The purpose of a theme is to shine
a spotlight on an issue. It was therefore commendable
that the AU chose a theme this past year to focus on the
empowerment of women. I think the idea was also to recognise all of the efforts and successes that have been made
in many areas such the increase of female parliamentar-
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ians. A lot is changing regarding the status of women in all
spheres of life. There are more women at the top in many
workplaces and the same shift is happening in politics.
We cannot therefore say nothing is being done. I think
what we can say is the rate at which these improvements
are happening is problematic, and we must find ways to
expedite the process of empowering women.
There are some successes yes as you say, but
you just mentioned something really vital in your
answer there. What exactly is failing the majority
African woman from reaching their full potential
and top positions?
It’s a complex issue without one answer. I think, to an extent, the African woman is first failed in her home. In order for her to have a small scale business, in order for her
to go and study, in order for her to have a high-powered
job as a professional and so forth, the majority of African