Africa-Press – Angola. The Secretary of State for National Defense and Veterans of the Homeland, Domingos André Chikanha, underlined, during the opening of the March Women in the Armed Forces (FAA), that the conquest of Angolans is remarkable and deserves the recognition of the homeland.
“Well, if it used to be said behind a great man, there is a great woman, now the discourse has changed, today, it is said next to a great man, there is a great woman”, he emphasized. Domingos André Chikanha recalled, on the sidelines. from the days opened on Friday, in Luanda, that the struggle for the emancipation of women has achieved many achievements since the proclamation of National Independence.
The official considered it important to understand the challenges that Angolans face, in the most varied sectors, including growth and development, without neglecting the maintenance of homes, family and children’s education, where mothers and grandmothers continue to play an important role. Here, the saying applies: “Who educates a woman, educates society”.
He stated that women, from Cabinda to Cunene, have progressed a lot, although the challenges are still many, especially those related to school performance, especially in many urban and rural communities, where school dropout due to early pregnancy , it is a reality.
The Secretary of State for National Defense and Veterans of the Homeland, Domingos André Chikanha, recalled, by the way, that the rates of violence within the family are still very high, according to statistical data, which is of great concern to society.
The historical course was used to illustrate the importance that the Angolan State attaches to women. “In 1991, the Council of Ministers approved the creation of a Se-
Secretariat of State for the Development of Women, which later rose to the rank of Ministry, specifically in 1998”, highlighted the Secretary of State.
Domingos André Chikanha said that the Executive created conditions so that “we had an organ that could watch over the interests of women, as they could not be kept in an inferior condition to that of men”.
Comparing to other realities, we note that the situation in the country is satisfactory, with the number of women occupying positions of great responsibility in the Executive growing, which opens up good prospects. The official said that the World Bank recently published a report stating that Angola is among the 23 countries in the world that have changed laws to improve the condition of women.
“The military woman is not authoritarian”
Lieutenant Colonel Antónia Tavares, deputy head of the Support and Social Assistance Department of the Directorate of Personnel and Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, told Jornal de Angola that, despite the rank, military women are not authoritarian in their homes.
“At home we are mothers, wives and companions, so we cannot confuse our functions as civil servants and heads of families”, explained Lieutenant Colonel Tavares, relying on biblical precepts. “Just as Jesus is the head of the church, the man is the head of the family, so we have to work together to ensure stability and well-being in the marital relationship.
Lieutenant Colonel Antónia Tavares joined the Angolan Armed Forces in October 1993. She informed that, at the time, she was a member of the Ministry of Agriculture, where she performed the functions of agronomist, due to her average training in Agronomy.
Joining the FAA had to do with the fact that, at the time, specialists were needed to ensure the production of the farms, so “I accepted the invitation”. Then, they were informed that they should recruit to better exercise their functions in the Forces. navy
“I got married now, how am I going to abandon my nine-month-old baby girl and her husband to join the military, which will demand a lot from me”, I asked myself? She says that her family surprised her with the support “So I went after my dream”, he confesses. Lieutenant Colonel Antónia Tavares is the mother of three girls.
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