Legal Assistance Centre-Namibia

CURRENT ACTIVITIES
GENDER RESEARCH & ADVOCACY PROJECT

Current projects include:

RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY

Research on implementation of the provisions on protection orders in the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, with a view to formulating recommendations for improving the operation of the law.

Working in partnership with the government’s Law Reform and Development Commission to develop draft legislation on marital property reform, which would include the removal of race-based laws which have survived in independent Namibia as well as addressing persisting sexual discrimination under customary law.

Continued lobbying for improved operation of Woman and Child Protection Units and improved integration of service providers who deal with gender-based violence.

Conducting an assessment of the operation of the new Maintenance Act by collecting information from a sample of courts nationwide on applications for maintenance orders and maintenance orders granted, in order to put forward recommendations for improving the implementation of the Act. It should be noted that effective application of this law is crucial to many women’s ability to leave violent relationships, and to free themselves from economic dependency on men.

Lobbying for passage of draft Divorce Act based on GR&AP research, action as necessary to complement government efforts to consult public about proposed reforms, preparation of educational material on new law (including video material).

Lobbying for passage of draft Recognition of Customary Marriages Act based in part of GR&AP research, action as necessary to complement government efforts to consult public about proposed reforms, preparation of educational material on new law.

Research, lobbying and advocacy around law reforms and implementation issues relating to inheritance.

Lobbying for passage of draft Child Care and Protection Act, including additional research on topics contained in the act as necessary to provide informed input into the draft bill (which is not yet released by government) and intensive educational efforts to explain this complex law once it is passed including use of art, drama and video material aimed at children.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Popularisation of provision on sexual harassment in the workplace in the new Labour Act.

Continued training of targeted service providers, including police, social workers and magistrates – primarily on request.

Continued development of educational materials and training videos, in English and indigenous languages, as well as specialised materials for persons with disabilities (including materials in Braille, which have already been produced on maintenance, rape and domestic violence).

GR&AP is currently engaged in a community outreach initiative aimed at empowering communities to address some of the causes of gender-based violence. Pilot meetings are currently underway in four communities. During the course of 2008, GR&AP will .conduct 26 further community meetings in 13 regions. A booklet reporting on these focus group discussions will be published to inspire other communities, and training packs in indigenous languages will be provided to community members to encourage them to reach out to others. This will be followed by radio shows on key issues raised in the focus group discussions aimed at informed and inspiring further community action. Pamphlets on domestic violence and rape in indigenous languages aimed at grassroots audiences will also be developed and disseminated as part of this project.

LITIGATION AND ADVICE

The GR&AP takes on a limited number of clients for litigation related to its areas of research, working in cooperation with LAC’s Human Rights and Constitutional Unit. If we had funding for a second lawyer for the project, this aspect of our work would expand accordingly.

STAFFING
GR&AP is currently coordinated by Dianne Hubbard, an experienced academic lawyer who has held the post since the inception of the project. She takes responsibility for planning and coordinating projects and administering budgets, as well as being deeply involved in the project’s legal research and advocacy activities. She has also taught Gender Law in the Law Faculty at the University of Namibia.

Sophie Van Wyk works part-time for GR&AP as Project Assistant, being shared with another LAC project, the Land, Environment and Development Unit.

During 2008, GR&AP is also making use of the services of a Public Outreach Consultant, Rachel Coomer.

GR&AP extends its capacity by making use of a range of short-term consultants, interns, volunteers and visiting academics. For example, we regularly host interns from Harvard Law School and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, as well as independent interns from a range of countries. These interns are often well-placed to carry out research on comparative law, and they benefit at the same time by being exposed to human rights work in Africa.

Click here to find out more about GR&AP's accomplishments.

ANNUAL REPORT
Learn more about GR&AP activities in the following PDF document:

2007 GR&AP Annual Report

Further activities from previous years can by viewed in the LAC's Annual Report