Prostitution in Namibia

Prostitution in Namibia is illegal but a highly prevalent common practice.

Legalisation discussion

A number of prominent groups have called for the legalization or decriminalization of prostitution. In 2005, the Legal Assistance Centre, a Windhoek-based non-profit human rights organization, called for the decriminalization of prostitution as a means of cutting the country's high HIV-AIDS rate as well as a means for maintaining the human rights of the prostitute themselves.^[1] Rights not Rescue, a sex workers organization is amongst those calling for decriminalisation.^[2]

Many groups in Namibia actively oppose legalization and instead focus on providing skills to former sex workers. Some groups approach the issue from a religious perspective, arguing that Namibia's population is overwhelmingly Christian and therefore should not accept what they consider an immoral profession.^[3]

Discussions in Parliament are usually controversial. An outspoken proponent of legalisation is Kazenambo Kazenambo, until 2015 Minister of Youth.^[4]

References

Sources

• Rights not Rescue: Female, Male, and Trans Sex Workers' Human Rights in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Open Society Institute 2009