Women in Namibia face challenges in their health, gender based violence, and access to education. The government of Namibia is taking steps to provide women with equal rights to a degree that is largely unparalleled in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the promise of gender equality and increased parliament representation in the Namibian constitution.[3][4] Women currently serve in nearly half of all seats in parliament and the first female Prime Minister was elected in 2015.[5]
Health
HIV/AIDS is largely prevalent within Namibia. HIV-related deaths reached its peak in 2004, when 12,000 people died, but has since declined to around 2,900 deaths in 2021.[6]
The socioeconomic status of women remains a significant indicator of HIV status.[7] Of the poorest women in Namibia, the HIV prevalence rate is at 21.4%, compared to the richest households with an HIV prevalence rate of 3.7%.[7]
Large strides have been made in the last decade to decrease the rate of maternal mortality in Namibia. In 2017, maternal mortality was at a rate of 195 deaths per 100,000 live births, down from 358 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004.[8] Life expectancy of women in Namibia has also improved. In 2020, the female life expectancy was 67 years, a large gap from 53 years in 2004.[9]
Domestic violence
The nation's 1990 constitution guarantees women equal protection under law and prohibits gender discrimination.[10][11] Although unprecedented for its time, there is much to be done to close the gender gap between men and women in Namibia.
Domestic violence remains a large concern in Namibia. On average 26.7% of Namibian women between ages 15–49 have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence at least once, with 52% of these women aged 15–19.[12]
Namibia outlawed marital rape in 2000.[13]
Legal rights and parliamentary representation
The nation's 1990 constitution guarantees women equal protection under law and prohibits gender discrimination.[14][15]
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Within the past decade, Namibia has seen increased pushes for the representation of women in parliament. In 2004, women constituted 29% of all parliament members, placing Namibia at seventeenth in the world for female representation in parliament.[16] In 2014, the South West Africa People's Organisation introduced a policy committing to filling half of its seats in parliament with women, in addition to a "zebra" system in which a male prime minister would have a female deputy minister and vice versa.[4] As of 2021, 44% of the Namibian parliament has seats filled by women.[5]
In March 2015, Saara Kuugongelwa was appointed as Prime Minister of Namibia, making her the first woman to serve as Namibian Prime Minister.[17]
See also
References
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