about namibia

official name: Republic of Namibia
capital: Windhoek
head of state: President Hifikepunye Pohamba (2005)
prime minister: Nahas Angula (2005)
state: republic
population: 2,030,692
independence: from South Africa 1990 (former German South West Africa)
languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
religion: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
currency: Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
media: The Namibian www.namibian.com.na

legal wise

status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: 16
laws covering homosexual activity: Male homosexuality is illegal, based on the common law offence of committing "an unnatural sex crime". The last case was tried in the late 80's (IOC).

[It is not clear whether lesbian acts are an offence. The Pink Book states that the laws against homosexuality were introduced under South African rule in the Criminal Act, "in which homosexual acts are described as "unnatural sex crimes". The equivalent South African law does not appear to have criminalised lesbian sex acts. However in his chapter in "Socio-legal control of homosexuality" on Zimbabwe Oliver Philips implies that the equivalent law for that country (also derived from South African law) in theory made lesbian sex acts illegal, although there was no record of any prosecutions). Source ILGA.

background information and government attitudes:
In early 1994, in Prime Ministers Question Time, the Prime Minister stated that lesbians and gays are protected ... "...article 10 in the Namibian constitution explicitly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of inter-alia sex and guarantees all persons equality before the law". (The Rainbow Project). Also, Namibia's labour code explicitly prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation.

However, subsequent to that many homophobic statements have been made by ministers, ruling party (Swapo) leaders and the president.

communication

main lines in use: 110,200 (2000)
cellular telephones: 82,000 (2000 est.).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001).
Radios: 232,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997).
Televisions: 60,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000).
Internet users: 45,000 (2002).

links and contacts

The Rainbow Project
P O Box 26122
Windhoek 9000
Tel: +264 61 230 710
E-mail: trp@mweb.com.na

Sister Namibia
PO Box 40092, Windhoek
Tel: +264 (0)61 230 618
Fax: +264 (0)61
email: sister@iafrica.com.na

activities: support, lobbying, advocacy

trp lashes at swapo president

male sex workers on increase

namibia chips away at african taboos on homosexuality

namibia's national society for human rights (nshr) statement

press release from sister namibia