Legal Assistance Centre-Namibia

The LAC's Influence

Over the years, the LAC has projected a strong influence on the law reforms and human rights issues of the day. Cited below are just a few of our more noteable achievements, focusing mainly on our law reform successes.

Social Security Act 34 of 1994
GR&AP’s (Gender, Research & Advocacy Project) lobbying on maternity benefits was instrumental in changing the draft law, which gave lesser benefits in respect of the birth of each subsequent children, to the final law which treats all children equally.

Married Person Equality Act 1 of 1996 [pdf]
GR&AP gave input to the Law Reform and Development Commission on the contents of this law and assisted with advocacy efforts to persuade Parliament to enact it. In addition, GR&AP also produced educational material on the law in 7 languages.

Combating of Rape Act 8 of 2000 [pdf]
The initial Law Reform & Development Commission proposals drew on GR&AP research amongst other sources. GR&AP initiated a joint submission by a group of NGOs which succeeded in persuading a Parliamentary Committee to make substantial amendments to the proposed bill.

GR&AP also produced educational materials on the law in 7 languages, a set of implementation guidelines for service providers, a training video for prosecutors, and two films for the public (in 4 languages). GR&AP most recently produced a comprehensive assessment of the application of the new law in practice, and amendments proposed as a result of this study are currently under consideration by the Law Reform and Development Commission. .

Communal Land Reform Act 5 of 2002 [pdf]
GR&AP successfully lobbied for improvements to the provisions on women in early drafts of this bill.

Combating of Domestic Violence Act 4 of 2003 [pdf]
The initial Law Reform & Development Commission proposals drew heavily on GR&AP research, and GR&AP assisted with the drafting of the bill. GR&AP lobbied Parliament intensively, and proposed several amendments to the bill which were adopted.

GR&AP also produced educational materials on the law in 7 languages, a set of implementation guidelines for service providers, a training video for clerks of court, and two films for the public (in 4 languages). GR&AP is in the process of conducting research into the use of protection orders in terms of this law.

Maintenance Act 9 of 2003 [pdf]
The initial Law Reform & Development Commission proposals drew almost exclusively on GR&AP research, and GR&AP assisted with the drafting of the bill. GR&AP lobbied for this bill intensively, over a period of 8 years, and once the Bill was in Parliament proposed several amendments to the bill which were adopted.

GR&AP also produced educational materials on the law in 6 languages, a training video for maintenance officers and a comic book supplement to The Namibian on “How to claim child maintenance”.

Criminal Procedure Amendment Act 24 of 2003 (vulnerable witnesses) [pdf]
GR&AP worked in partnership with government to prepare this bill. We also included information on this law in the guidelines on rape and domestic violence prepared for service providers.

Children’s Status Act 6 of 2006 [pdf]
As a result of intensive lobbying together with other NGOs, and participation in Parliamentary Committees of both the National Assembly and the National Council, GR&AP was successful in promoting substantial changes to this bill to circumvent early proposals which would have disempowered women and endangered children.

Labour Act 11 of 2007 [pdf]
The provisions on pregnancy discrimination, compassionate leave and sexual harassment ere initially inserted by the National Council (in the 2004 law which has now been replaced by the 2007 law) in direct response to submissions form GR&AP.

Research published by GR&AP has also been one of the primary sources for the following bills currently under consideration:

Child Care and Protection Bill

Divorce Bill

Recognition of Customary Marriage Bill

Marital Property Reform Bill

Learn more about the Legal Assistance Centre's history.