President Hage Geingob says Namibia is pushing to have a balanced representation of women and men in Parliament after November’s elections. Geingob addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) underway in New York, USA. He stated that the move to increase equal representation is in line with Namibia’s commitment to reaching gender parity at the highest levels of governance and leadership. A balanced gender representation has already been adopted at Namibia’s governing party, SWAPO, with a 50/50 policy. President Geingob hinted that November elections would also see an increase of women in Cabinet. This, he said, is because without the full involvement of women and youth, progress in development process would be hampered, especially the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. This year the UNGA is debating the theme ‘Galvanising Multilateral Efforts for Poverty Eradication, Quality Education, Climate Action and Inclusion’. President Geingob called for a lasting solution to the issue of occupied Western Sahara and Palestine. He said informed by the anti-colonial struggle in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the international solidarity, the convened a Solidarity Conference for liberation movement, Polisario Front and the people of Western Sahara, in March this year. At the conference, SADC reiterated its unwavering commitment to the right to self-determination and freedom of the people of Western Sahara. Similarly, Geingob stressed that the people of Palestine have the fundamental right to self-determination and independence. The Namibian leader further called for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the establishment of two states, co-existing in an atmosphere of peace and security.