Africa-Press – Namibia. DEPUTY minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus received the 2022 United Nations Population Award individual laureate during the World Population Day commemorations, held at Rundu on Monday.
The young parliamentarian received the individual award for her work advocating for women’s empowerment and adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Namibia.
In her acceptance speech, Theofelus said she always knew that she wanted to help build a Namibia, and to some extent an Africa, that was more responsive to issues affecting adolescents and the youth.
She said the realities of teenage pregnancy, from the time she was in primary school, were too real to ignore.
“Watching girls who looked just like me and had the same background as me leaving school to have their babies, coming back to school but leaving again, for good this time, because the stigma they faced every day as teenage mothers was too much to bear,” she said.
Theofelus pledged to increase her efforts and collaborate with others to ensure period poverty is eradicated.
She also vowed to continue playing a pivotal role in addressing larger population matters such as sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
Theofelus, who is the youngest winner of the award, tabled a motion in parliament to identify feminine hygiene products as a tax-free commodity in Namibia.
The UN Population Award has honoured individuals and institutions for their outstanding contributions to population, development and reproductive health since 1983.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
