Our Leaders Need to Define‘Inclusivity’ Before the Elections

It took 34 years for Namibia to produce political leaders willing to take a public stand on the rights of LGBTQI+ people.

Last week, 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 the acknowledgement and acceptance of different gender identities and sexual orientations are widespread, this may not seem groundbreaking.
However, a look at the history of LGBTQI+ rights in Namibia, and the last two years in particular, sheds a different light on the issue.

Despite continued advocacy, since independence, LGBTQI+ rights have been either sidelined in post-independence laws, or have eroded over time.

One notable example concerns labour legislation.

PROTECTIONS AND PREJUDICE

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 fathom why lawmakers would spend so much time and energy (and taxpayer funds) to remove protections from a minority group, rather than focusing 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 was far from universal. Yet, the government chose to spend time and resources on this.

It is worth asking: What benefit to society has this amendment to labour laws provided?

Are workplaces noticeably safer and more accommodating? Have employment prospects for Namibians improved?

Less than 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, but in an apparent attempt to leverage societal prejudice into votes come November.

Of the party manifestos released so far, the majority of parties commit to fostering inclusivity in our society and economy.

They commit to providing equal opportunities and access to resources to all Namibians, especially those vulnerable to exclusion.

VOTERS AND THE RIGHT TO KNOW

There are many communities who are vulnerable: People with disabilities, women and children, people affected by poverty, older Namibians – and the LGBTQI+ community.

So far, however, Namibian lawmakers have failed to enshrine explicit protection for the LGBTQI+ community in our laws and policies.

The politicians campaigning for votes 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 less 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.

• Sister Namibia has advocated for the rights of women and marginalised groups since independence. You can follow the organisation on all social media platforms @Sister_Namibia, and sisternamibia.org