LGBT rights in Namibia

LGBT rights in Namibia

Same-sex sexual activity legal? Male illegal since 1920 (as South-West Africa; Not enforced)
Female always legal[1]
[2][3]
Discrimination protections No[4]
Family rights
Recognition of
relationships		 No
Adoption No

Namibia has a history lacking of laws supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens. Sodomy is illegal in Namibia, and is punishable with prison time.

Living conditions

In 2005, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Teopolina Mushelenga, claimed that lesbians and gay men betrayed the fight for Namibian freedom, were responsible for the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and were an insult to African culture.[5] In 2001, President Sam Nujoma warned about forthcoming purges against gays and lesbians in Namibia, saying "the police must arrest, imprison and deport homosexuals and lesbians found in Namibia."[6] Home Affairs Minister Jerry Ekandjo in 2000 urged 700 newly graduated police officers to "eliminate" gays and lesbians "from the face of Namibia".[7]

Mr. Gay Namibia 2011, Wendelinus Hamutenya, was the victim of a homophobic assault in December 2011 in Windhoek.[8]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal For male (not enforced) / For female
Equal age of consent For male / For female
Anti-discrimination laws in employment only
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech)
Same-sex marriages
Recognition of same-sex couples
Step-child adoption by same-sex couples
Joint adoption by same-sex couples
Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly in the military
Right to change legal gender
Access to IVF for lesbians
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood

See also

References

  1. ↑ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld | Namibia: Follow-up to NAM33215.E of 1 December 1999 on whether the law prohibiting male homosexuality is enforced, and if so, the penalties being handed down by the courts". UNHCR. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  2. ↑ State-sponsored Homophobia A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults
  3. ↑ Where is it illegal to be gay?
  4. ↑ (PDF) http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ "Namibia: African NGOs Respond to Statement by Namibian Deputy Minister on Gays and Lesbians 'Betraying the fight for freedom'", International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, 13 September 2005
  6. ↑ "Namibian president announces purges against gays", afrol.com, 20 March 2001
  7. ↑ "Namibia gay rights row", BBC News, 2 October 2000
  8. ↑ "Mr. Gay Namibia Assaulted", advocate.com, reported by Michelle Garcia, 12 December 2011

External links

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