About Namibia
 official name: Republic of Namibia
capital: Windhoek
head of state: President Hifikepunye Pohamba (2005)
prime minister: Nahas Angula (2005)
state: republic
population: 2,044,147
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: 127,900 (2004)
cellular telephones: 495,000 (2005)
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): 3,527 (2006)
Internet users: 3,527 (2006)
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
Articles:
 GAY AND LESBIAN INITIATIVE �FUNNY�
by Mask Admin 18/8/2009
NAMIBIA � 18 August 2009: �Do we really need to promote homosexuality in Karas Region?� Karas Regional Councillor Hilma Nikanor asked after a presentation at a Council meeting on Friday. Nikanor charged it was �immoral to promote homosexuality� after a presentation on gay and lesbian rights by the Czech Republic based NGO People In Need(PIN) Head of Mission, Hanna Urbanova.
namibian gay week set to attract �straight� community
by Mask Admin 13/6/2007
NAMIBIA � June 13, 2007: �Straight talk with straight friends� is The Rainbow Project�s (TRP) LGBTI Week�s theme this year with the event taking place between 27 and 30 June.
gays and lesbians left out of aids policy - lac
by Mask Admin 26/3/2007
HIV/AIDS - March 26, 2007: THE National Policy on HIV-AIDS that was adopted in Parliament recently is a good document, a human rights lawyer says, but gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people were left out.
gays and lesbians in Africa defy odds
by Mask Admin 18/10/2006
NAMIBIA & SOUTH AFRICA - October 18, 2006: The issue of gays and lesbians is a hot one in Africa where some leaders have spoken against it but kept a blind eye when gay and lesbian groups go out in the streets.
trp lashes at swapo president
by Mask Admin 7/8/2006
NAMIBIA � August 7, 2006: Former Namibian president and leader of Swapo, Sam Nujoma�s attack on national society for human rights� director as �homosexual�, had been condemned by The Rainbow Project (TRP) recently.
 male sex workers on increase by Mask Admin 15/11/2005
namibia chips away at african taboos on homosexuality by Mask Admin 24/10/2005
namibia's national society for human rights (nshr) statement by Mask Admin 25/9/2005
press release from sister namibia by Mask Admin 25/9/2005
statement from gays and lesbians of zimbabwe (GALZ) by Mask Admin 13/9/2005
trp's response to anti-sexual minorities statement by SWAPO MP Theopolina Mushelenga by Mask Admin 8/9/2005
mushelenga beats nujoma's drum by Mask Admin 2/9/2005
a world-renowned researcher to give a talk at the rainbow project offices by Mask Admin 24/8/2005
a week of significant events for the lgbti community in Windhoek by Mask Admin 27/6/2005
murder leaves town in shock by Mask Admin 2/6/2005
transsexual murdered at okahandja by Mask Admin 18/2/2005
trp host btm for workshop by Mask Admin 21/1/2005
africa's gays persecuted as cause of ills by Mask Admin 11/6/2004
nujoma lashes out at whites, neo-colonialists and the c.o.d by Mask Admin 26/5/2004
justice minister scorns homosexuality as 'criminal' by Mask Admin 7/5/2004
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Title by Thando Nhlapho
