{"id":405,"date":"2020-02-20T14:24:17","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T14:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lac.org.na\/wordpress\/?page_id=405"},"modified":"2025-02-04T13:21:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T11:21:18","slug":"family-law","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/index.php\/projects\/gender-research-advocacy-grap\/family-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Family law"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1051&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<p>There have been many significant law reforms concerning gender in the years since Namibia became independent, but most of the change has been in respect of gender-based violence and public activities rather than in the more private sphere of the family.<\/p>\r\n<p><!-- \/wp:post-content --><!-- wp:paragraph -->The only gender-related law reform since independence in the area of family law is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/laws\/annoSTAT\/Married%20Persons%20Equality%20Act%201%20of%201996.pdf\"><strong>Married Persons Equality Act 1 of 1996<\/strong><\/a>, which eliminates the discriminatory Roman-Dutch law concept of marital power that previously applied to civil marriages. This law requires couples married in community of property to consult each other on certain major transactions (with husbands and wives being subject to identical powers and restraints), while couples married out of community of property have the right to deal with their separate property independently. The symbolic import of this law is probably even more important than its practical provisions, as it sends out a clear message that the law will no longer recognise husbands in civil marriages as \u201cheads of household\u201d.<\/p>\r\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->The gender-based inequalities in customary marriage, which stem from a different source, were not addressed by this law \u2013 aside from giving husbands and wives in both civil and customary marriages equal powers of guardianship in respect of children of<br \/>\r\nthe marriage.<\/p>\r\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->While the Married Persons Equality Act has been a positive first step, it does not sufficiently address discrimination in the family (as the UN CEDAW Committee noted in its report on Namibia).<\/p>\r\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->Law reform is urgently needed in several key areas:<\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Marriage:<\/h2>\r\n<p>The solemnisation of civil marriages and the appointment of marriage officers is currently governed by the Marriage Act 25 of 1961 which Namibia inherited from South Africa at independence. As of mid-2020, a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/laws\/annoSTAT\/Marriage%20Act%2014%20of%202024.pdf\">new Marriage Act <\/a><\/strong>was\u00a0under preparation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration and Safety and Security. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/laws\/annoSTAT\/Marriage%20Act%2014%20of%202024.pdf\">This act<\/a> has been signed and published, but a date for commencement is still to be set.<\/p>\r\n<p>The forthcoming Marriage Act is expected to revise the requirements for marriage officers, introduce a new procedure for marriage permits and provides tools for addressing bad faith marriages involving foreign nationals concluded merely for purposes of acquiring domicile or citizenship.<\/p>\r\n<p>For a summary of the current law on civil marriages, see the GR&amp;AP publication \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/marriagecounsellingguide.pdf\"><strong>Namibian Law on Civil Marriage: A Question and Answer Guide<\/strong><\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\r\n<p>Read articles on civil marriage from our archive:<\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/news\/probono\/ProBono_18-MARRIAGE_OFFICERS.pdf\"><strong>Civil marriages performed by someone who is not a marriage officer<\/strong><\/a>\u201d (2018)<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Marital property:<\/h2>\r\n<p>Marital property regimes are still governed by race-based rules and there are more choices for the few members of the public who can afford lawyers.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>GR&amp;AP put forward <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/marriageprop.pdf\"><strong>proposals for law reform<\/strong><\/a> on marital property regimes in 2005.<\/li>\r\n<li>The Law Reform and Development Commission issued a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/LRDC_11-Proc_15_of_1928-2003.pdf\"><strong>report<\/strong><\/a> on \u201cRed Line marriages\u201d in 2003.<\/li>\r\n<li>The Law Reform and Development Commission issued <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/LRDC_15-Marital_Property-2010.pdf\"><strong>recommendations<\/strong><\/a> on reform in the area of marital property in 2010.<\/li>\r\n<li>Read articles on marital property from our archive:\u00a0 &#8220;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/news\/probono\/ProBono_11-MARITAL_PROPERTY.pdf\">Marital property<\/a><\/strong>&#8221; (2017)<\/li>\r\n<li>Some of the concerns about marital property are addressed in a revised bill which was initially proposed by the Law Reform and Development Commission and is now under consideration by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration and Safety and Security.\u00a0 For a GR&amp;AP summary of this Bill as it stood in 2018\u00a0 click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/prjects\/grap\/Pdf\/Overview_Uniform_Matrimonial_Property-2018.pdf\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Divorce: <strong><br \/><\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Namibia\u2019s antiquated law has narrow grounds for divorce which required that one spouse be identified as being at fault. The current law make sit expensive and difficult for spouses to get out of unhappy marriages, which can increase the risk of domestic violence. The new law, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/laws\/annoSTAT\/Dissolution%20of%20Marriages%20Act%2010%20of%202024.pdf\"><strong>Dissolution of Marriges Act 10 of 2024<\/strong><\/a> has been signed and published, but a date is still to be set for commencement.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>GR&amp;AP put forward <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/divlawref.pdf\"><strong>proposals for divorce law reform<\/strong><\/a> in 2000, also available in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/divlawref-summ.pdf\"><strong>summary<\/strong><\/a> form .<\/li>\r\n<li>The Law Reform and Development Commission issued <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/LRDC_13-Divorce-2004.pdf\"><strong>recommendations<\/strong><\/a> on divorce law reform in 2004.<\/li>\r\n<li>For a GR&amp;AP summary of the proposals put forward by the Law Reform and Development Commission, click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/divlawref2.pdf\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li>More recently, GR&amp;AP issued two short factsheets on divorce law reform: \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/6_reasons_divorce.pdf\"><strong>6 Reasons in favour of Easier Access to Divorce<\/strong><\/a>\u201d and \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/6_reasons_no-fault_divorce.pdf\"><strong>6 Reasons in favour of No-Fault Divorce<\/strong><\/a>\u201d<\/li>\r\n<li>Click here for a longer input on \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/Problems_Forfeiture_of_benefits_factsheet.pdf\"><strong>Problems with Retaining Forfeiture of Benefits in a No-Fault System<\/strong><\/a>\u201d.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<h2><!-- wp:list -->\u00a0Customary marriage and divorce:<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>There is a need to provide for clear proof of the existence of customary marriage, to provide more protection for vulnerable women and children, and to remove remaining sex discrimination in this area. The Committee which monitors the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) regularly criticises Namibia for lack of action on this.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>GR&amp;AP put forward <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/customary.pdf\"><strong>proposals for law reform on the recognition of customary marriage<\/strong><\/a> in 1999.<\/li>\r\n<li>The Law Reform and Development Commission issued <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/LRDC_12-Customary_Law_Marriages-2004.pdf\">recommendations<\/a><\/strong> on law reform in the area of customary marriage in 2004.<\/li>\r\n<li>For a GR&amp;AP summary of the proposals put forward by the Law Reform and Development Commission, click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/custommar2.pdf\">here.<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Read articles on customary marriage from our archives:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/custmar2003.pdf\"><strong>Recognition of customary marriages in South Africa: A Model for Namibia?<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>(2003<strong>)<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/poligamy.pdf\"><strong>Polygamy &#8211; To share or not to share? That is the question<\/strong><\/a> (2005)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Intestate inheritance:<\/h2>\r\n<p>Inheritance in the absence of a will is still governed by race-based rules and makes no provision for the maintenance of spouses or any dependents other than minor children.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>In 2005, GR&amp;AP published <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/meaninheri.pdf\"><strong>The Meanings of Inheritance<\/strong><\/a>, a book with essays by different authors examining customary inheritance practices in different communities, and a research report entitled \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/custinh.pdf\"><strong>Customary Law on Inheritance in Namibia: Issues and questions for consideration in developing new legislation<\/strong><\/a>\u201d. GR&amp;AP also published \u201c<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/inherit.pdf\">Inheritance Issues<\/a><\/strong>\u201d, which reported on community consultations on inheritance law reforms.<\/li>\r\n<li>In 2012, the Law Reform and Development Commission issued a <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/LRDC_20-Succession_Estates-2012.pdf\">report<\/a><\/strong> on succession and estates.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Read articles on inheritance from our archive:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/inheri.pdf\"><strong>I<\/strong><strong>nheritance disputes and law reform possibilities<\/strong><\/a> (2005)<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/inheripersoectives.pdf\"><strong>A constitutional perspective on women&#8217;s property and inheritance rights within Namibia&#8217;s legislative framework<\/strong><\/a> (2005)<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/themissinglink.pdf\"><strong>Women&#8217;s land and property rights: Proposals for the reform of inheritance laws in Namibia<\/strong> <\/a>(2005)<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/inheri2006.pdf\"><strong>The new law on inheritance: A law reform that doesn&#8217;t change much<\/strong><\/a> (2006)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Birth registration:<\/h2>\r\n<p>This is another topic which is governed by an outdated law which has already been overtaken by practice.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The current law is described in several publications produced by GR&amp;AP:\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>a comic on birth registration (in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicbirthregeng.pdf\"><strong>English<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicbirthregAfri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans <\/strong><\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicbirthregOsh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a>),<\/li>\r\n<li>a booklet on birth registration (in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/birthregpampeng.pdf\"><strong>English<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/birthregpampafri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/birthregpamposh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/birthregpampruk.pdf\"><strong>Rukwangali<\/strong><\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<li>a booklet on how to change the surname of a child (in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/surnameseng.pdf\"><strong>English<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/surnamesafri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/surnamesosh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/surnamesruk.pdf\"><strong>Rukwangali<\/strong><\/a>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>During 2017-2019, GR&amp;AP worked closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration on a bill based on an extensive public consultation process about the proposed law reforms. A <strong>series of factsheets<\/strong> presents some of the options for law reform which were discussed during this process.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: left;\">As of mid-2020, the proposed new Civil Registration and Identification Bill was still under discussion by Government.<\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;749&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; link=&#8221;http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet1.pdf&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<p>Factsheets also available in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet1-afri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet1-osh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;750&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; link=&#8221;http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet2.pdf&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<p>Factsheets also available in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet2-afri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet2-osh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;751&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; link=&#8221;http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet3.pdf&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<p>Factsheets also available in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet3-afri.pdf\"><strong>Afrikaans<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/mhaibmdfactsheet3-osh.pdf\"><strong>Oshiwambo<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;922&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; link=&#8221;http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/surnames_eng.pdf&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;923&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; link=&#8221;http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicbirthregEng.pdf&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Widows:<\/h2>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/laws\/annoSTAT\/Communal%20Land%20Reform%20Act%205%20of%202002.pdf\">Communal Land Reform Act 5 of 2002<\/a> aims to improve gender equality in land rights and tenure security, but law reform is needed to provide further protection to women in communal areas.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>GR&amp;AP and the Legal Assistance Centre&#8217;s Land, Environment and Development Project (LEAD) commissioned a study in the four regions of north-central Namibia, to investigate the practical impact of the law. The findings are reported in \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/womencommlandra.pdf\"><strong>Protection for Women in Namibia&#8217;s Communal Land Reform Act: Is it working?<\/strong><\/a>\u201d (2008).<\/li>\r\n<li>In 2016, GR&amp;AP produced a comic entitled \u201cA Land for Women: Women\u2019s Rights to Communal Land in Namibia\u201d available in <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicaland_women_eng.pdf\">English<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/comicaland_women_osh.pdf\">Oshiwambo<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<li>In 2016, GR&amp;AP also produced a series of 12 radio shows about women and communal land. The scripts are available here.<\/li>\r\n<li>In 2018, around the time of the Second National Land Conference, GR&amp;AP published an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/news\/probono\/Probono_23-WOMEN_AND_COMMUNAL_LAND.pdf\"><strong>article<\/strong><\/a> summarising law reforms which could help widows and other women improve their access to communal land.<\/li>\r\n<li>Another resource on women and communal land is a \u00a02018 PowerPoint presentation entitled \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/Rural_Women_Parliament-2018.ppt\"><strong>Promoting Gender Equality in Land and Property Rights<\/strong><\/a>\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Cohabitation:<\/h2>\r\n<p>The law currently provides little protection for cohabiting couples, even though recent national surveys indicate that 7-15% of Namibian adults are in informal cohabitation relationships. In 2010, GR&amp;AP published research based on interviews and group discussions in Namibia, and an examination of laws on cohabitation in other countries.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The report, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/cohabitationsummary.pdf\"><strong>A Family Affair \u2013The Status of Cohabitation in Namibia<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>(2010), proposes a draft bill on cohabitation for Namibia.<\/li>\r\n<li>An\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/cohabitationfull.pdf\"><strong>extended version <\/strong><\/a>of the report with more technical legal detail, aimed at legal practitioners and academics, is available to download.<\/li>\r\n<li>There is also a summary of the report\u2019s key findings in an accompanying <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/cohabitationbrief.pdf\"><strong>research brief<\/strong><\/a> which was updated in 2015.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Stepchildren:<\/h2>\r\n<p>Stepfamilies are common in Namibia, yet no laws in Namibia govern the relationship between stepparents and stepchildren.\u00a0 In 2011, GR&amp;AP researched this issue.\u00a0 Persons interviewed raised discrimination and abuse faced by stepchildren as major problems.\u00a0 Examples cited included stepchildren being subjected to an unequal and unreasonable burden of household work as compared to biological children, and being denied adequate food and other basic necessities.\u00a0 Participants in every region also viewed stepchildren as being disproportionately vulnerable to physical, emotional, economic and sexual abuse \u2013 such as beatings and psychological abuse based on the child\u2019s non-biological status.\u00a0 In particular, sexual abuse of stepdaughters by stepfathers was cited as a widespread problem throughout the country.\u00a0 Our research reveals that many countries have responded to the world-wide rise in stepfamilies by developing laws that impose a range of rights and duties upon stepparents, to protect stepchildren and to give legal recognition to the relationship.\u00a0 Ideas are put forward for Namibia, to facilitate debate on possible law reforms to protect and promote stepfamily relationships.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>GR&amp;AP\u2019s research report, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/stepfamiliesnamibia.pdf\"><strong>Stepfamilies in Namibia, <\/strong><\/a>explores the relationship between stepparents and stepchildren, with a particular focus on abuse, maintenance, inheritance and parental duties and responsibilities.<\/li>\r\n<li>The key findings of this study are summarised in a shorter<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/stepfamiliesnamibia_brief.pdf\"> <strong>research brief<\/strong>.<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>For a thumbnail sketch, you can read the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/step_families_press_release.pdf\"><strong>press release<\/strong><\/a> issued with the report.<\/li>\r\n<li>See also the 2001 news article \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/projects\/grap\/Pdf\/stepchild2001.pdf\"><strong>What steps to take for step-children?<\/strong><\/a>\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<h2>Other family law topics:<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Surrogacy:<\/strong> \u00a0GR&amp;AP has recently received a number of enquiries about surrogacy.\u00a0 The position of surrogacy in Namibia is summarized in this 2018 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/news\/probono\/Probono_24-SURROGACY.pdf\"><strong>newspaper article<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Maintenance:<\/strong>\u00a0 Spousal and child maintenance are covered in a separate section of this website entitled <strong>Maintenance<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Children:\u00a0 <\/strong>Topics relating to children are covered in a separate section of this website entitled <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/index.php\/projects\/gender-research-advocacy-grap\/children\/\"><strong>Children<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Family violence:\u00a0 <\/strong>See the separate sections of this website under the heading <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/index.php\/projects\/gender-research-advocacy-grap\/gender-based-violence\/\"><strong>Gender-based violence<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/index.php\/projects\/gender-research-advocacy-grap\/children\/\"><strong>Children<\/strong><\/a> (which covers child protection issues)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<!-- \/wp:list --><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1051&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text] There have been many significant law reforms concerning gender in the years since Namibia became independent, but most of the change has been in respect of gender-based violence and public activities rather than in the more private sphere of the family. The only gender-related law reform since independence in the area [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":97,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-405","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Family law - Legal Assistance Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lac.org.na\/index.php\/projects\/gender-research-advocacy-grap\/family-law\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Family law - Legal Assistance Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1051&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_column_text] There have been many significant law reforms concerning gender in the years since Namibia became independent, but most of the change has been in respect of gender-based violence and public activities rather than in the more private sphere of the family. 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