WINDHOEK: The National Council Women’s Caucus will for the first time hold a Rural Women’s Empowerment Parliament Session aimed at empowering grassroots women on the country’s democratic process.

The three-day event will take place from 17 September this year at the National Council Chambers.

Two women and one man from each of the country’s 13 regions will attend the Special Parliament session under the theme ‘Promoting Gender Equality in the Democratic Process from the Lens of Grassroots Women’.

Topics to be debated include child-bearing, maternal and child deaths, as well as issues concerning violence, illegal abortion, baby dumping, passion killing, suicide, among others.

The ‘parliamentarians’ will also deliberate on issues of economic empowerment, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry will be called in to explain to the women about the yet to be launched Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Bank.

“We want to bring real grassroots women and not teachers, church leaders, councillors among others who live in rural areas. We do not want those who can communicate fluently in English. We want real grassroots women who can express themselves in their own languages,” said National Council Vice-Chairperson Margareth Mensah-Williams on Monday.

She told Nampa that there will be simultaneous interpretations in all ethnic languages.

“We want those women to give us wonderful programmes, ideas, experiences and advice on those topics,” said Mensah-Williams.

After the Special Parliament session, the Women’s Caucus will write a report and recommendation to be tabled in the National Council, and copies will be sent to President Hifikepunye Pohamba, line ministers, Government agencies and civil society organisations.

First Lady Penexupifo Pohamba is expected to officially open the Special Parliament session.