It took 34 years for Namibia to produce political leaders willing to stand publicly for the rights of LGBTQI+ people.
Last month, independent presidential candidate Rosa Namises and the All People’s Party (APP) became the first to vocally support same-sex marriage and equal rights. In 2024, where acknowledgement and acceptance of different gender identities and sexual orientations are so widespread, this may not seem groundbreaking.
[Editor’s note: Rosa Namises is no longer campaigning as an independent candidate after she did not secure the signatures required by the Electoral Commission of Namibia.]However, a look at the history of LGBTQI+ rights in Namibia, and the last two years in particular, sheds a different light.
Since independence, despite continued advocacy, LGBTQI+ rights were either sidelined in post-independence laws, or eroded over time. One notable example concerns labour legislation. The Labour Act of 1992 – Namibia’s first post-independence labour law – provided protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Five years later, despite protests from some members of the National Assembly, the Labour Act of 2007 was passed, without mention of sexual orientation.
It is hard to imagine why lawmakers would spend so much time and energy (and taxpayer funds) to remove protections from a minority group, rather than focussing on ensuring more universal access to human rights. In 2007, Namibians faced discrimination on the grounds of their race, class, gender and HIV status – among others. Access to education and healthcare were far from universal. Yet the government chose to spend time and resources on this. It is worth asking: what benefit to society did this amendment to labour laws provide? Are workplaces noticeably safer and more accommodating? Have employment prospects for Namibians improved?
Not even two decades later, things have not changed: politicians are using taxpayer resources to attempt to strip protections from a specific group of Namibians, not because it somehow benefits the nation at large, but in an attempt to leverage societal prejudice into votes come November.
Of the party manifestos released thus far, the majority commit to fostering inclusivity in our society and economy. They commit to providing equal opportunities and access to resources to all Namibians, especially those who are vulnerable to exclusion. There are many communities who are vulnerable: people with disabilities, women and children, people affected by poverty, older Namibians – and the LGBTQI+ community.
Thus far, Namibian lawmakers have failed to enshrine explicit protection for the LGBTQI+ community in our laws and policies. The politicians who are campaigning right now will influence our future laws and policies – voters have the right to know if their commitments to inclusivity mean anything, or if they depend on people’s personal opinions.
In fewer than seven weeks, Namibians head to the polls to choose new leaders. Choose as if you are vulnerable to exclusion, because you may well be one day.
A version of this article was published by The Namibian newspaper on 15 October 2024.
Image credit: Phil Hearing on Unsplash
