Recent news around Civil Society Organisations in Namibia
Donate clothes, food and blankets for the less privileged in Rehoboth. Contact the Hardap Region Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Network team - Mrs Jeanne on +264 81 216 2863 or Mrs Maryna on +264 81 318 9859 - for deliveries.
The Environmental Compliance Consultancy (ECC) has issued a notice and invitation to stakeholders and potentially affected parties of an environmental assessment and public meeting scheduled for 18 May 2022 at 18:30 at the Namibia Scientific Society. This is regarding the proposed Ongombo Copper Project for underground mining activities within EPL 5772, Khomas Region, Windhoek.
Today, 17 May 2022, the ACTION Coalition issued a press statement expressing its concern about the use of excessive force by the Police in response to the public protest near China Town in Windhoek on Friday, 13 May 2022.
On 26 April 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) issued a press release stating that they have been receiving continuous complaints suggesting corruption, fraud and misconduct by officials, possible beneficiaries and other parties in relation to land acquisition, allotment and procurement.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) recently released their latest Citizen's Guide to the National Budget FY2022/23 booklet. The 31-page booklet is available in softcopy on their website and as a hardcopy insert in today's, 8 April 2022, Namibian newspaper.
The Nambia Housing Action Group (NHAG) & Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) recently released their annual report for 2020/2021. Until June 2021 SDFN/NHAG have built an overall of 6,865 brick houses, each of them with its own toilet and water connection.
On 30 March 2022, the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN) hosted a Housing Symposium themed "Towards an Affordable Housing Ecosystem in Namibia". The EAN is a Think Tank conducting research and providing public policy advisory services.
On 31 March 2022, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare (MGEPESW) officially launched the Social Protection Policy 2021-2030. The Social Protection Policy is anchored on Article 95 of Namibia’s Constitution, which compels the Government to actively promote equal opportunity and the well-being of all citizens.
The EU has a new Call for Proposals for CSOs in Namibia. Organisations can apply alone or in/as a coalition of CSOs. There will be an Information Session on 18 March 2022, to be organised by the EU Delegation.
The Combating of Domestic Violence Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament on 24 February 2022, and despite the intense lobbying that has already taken place, it fails to address the exclusion of same-sex couples from the coverage of the law.
Join the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Namibia and Global Partners Digital for the launch of the CSOs Forum on mainstreaming human rights in cybercrime law and policy-making. The launch will take place online via Zoom and at the House of Democracy on Thursday, 24 February 2022 at 10:00. To confirm your participation for this event, kindly send an email to Ndeshi Fikameni at info@ippr.org.na.
Join the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) on Thursday, 24 February 2022 at 15:00 for A CALL TO ACTION! public discussion forum on 1.6 MILLION NAMIBIANS LIVING IN POVERTY. The public discussion will take place at the Katutura Community Arts Centre. For more information / to RSVP kindly email consultant@nid.org.na or call +264 81 826 2090.
The meeting of the Civil Society Organisations Working Group on Land Reform (CSO-WGLR) has been re-scheduled to Friday, 18 February 2022.
In February 2022, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat published the Namibia Review Report: Key Highlights. The Report commends Namibia for its full implementation in the APRM good governance programme.
On 18 January 2022, in an NBC Good Morning Namibia interview, the Namibia Institute for Democracy's (NID) Programme Director, Mr Panduleni Nghipandulwa, commented on the World Bank report that cited Namibia as one of the most unequal countries in the world. According to the World Bank report, 1.6 million Namibians live in poverty.
The Legal Assistance Centre's (LAC's) Gender Research & Advocacy Project (GR&AP) team recently shared an illustrated overview of their 2021 activities, along with an updated GR&AP Publications Catalogue.
Joseph Ndondi is the founder and current executive director of Social Enabled Education (SEE) Namibia, through the organisation he aims to actively encourage Africans to be involved in political decision making and hold leaders accountable.
On Tuesday, 8 February 2022, TH!NK Namibia's ‘Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Kavango-Zambezi-Region in Namibia’ (NSFM) Project will be launching their Educational Material. The Launch will take place at the House of Democracy, 70-72 Dr Frans Indongo Street, Windhoek at 11:00.
This short paper was prepared by the IPPR for the CSO Sustainability Index (2020) – covering issues facing Namibian civil society across seven dimensions: Legal Environment, Organisational Capacity, Financial Viability, Advocacy, Service Provision, Sectoral Infrastructure, and Public Image. The report is based on the comments and scores of a panel of civil society experts combined with desk research.
Applications are now open for the Youth Opportunities Global Ambassador Program 2022! The Global Ambassador Program is one of the most engaging programs of Youth Opportunities. It has engaged youth from more than 130 countries in the world with its first-ever appearance in 2018. Application Deadline: December 2, 2021.
Join the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) Namibia for the launch of the new report on Civil Society Sustainability in Namibia. The launch will take place on Tuesday, 30 November 2021, from 10h00 to 11h00 at the House of Democracy, 70-72 Frans Indongo Street, Windhoek West.
The Commonwealth Foundation works to bring the voice of civil society into all aspects of governance, supporting civil society engagement in shaping the policies and decisions that affect people’s lives. The Foundation’s Strategic Plan 2021-2026 is strongly linked to the Commonwealth Charter and its values and aspirations, and it identifies three thematic areas of focus.
Youth Unemployment has been identified as one of the serious development challenges facing Namibia and the African Continent. On November 17, 2021, the Targeted Review on Youth Unemployment was officially launched by His Excellency Dr Nangolo Mbumba, Vice-President of the Republic of Namibia.
What: Southern Africa Civil Society Regional Forum
Who: The African Development Bank’s Civil Society and Community Engagement Division
When: Wednesday, 24 November 2021; 09H00 – 12H30 SAT
Where: Virtual
INVITATION to the 2021 NamIGF 2021 (4th IGF Conference)
by the Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF) Working Group under the theme "Internet United" derived from the global IGF theme. The NamIGF will take place over two-and-a-half days.
The second edition of the IPPR Public Enterprise Governance Rankings are based on an assessment of 20 commercial state-owned enterprises (as categorised by the Ministry of Public Enterprises) and use information that has been made available to the general public.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) invites you to attend a VIRTUAL Regional Symposium on Effective Governance and Digital Transformation for Building Back Better and Accelerating the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which will be held on 15 - 17 November 2021 (09:00 PM – 00:00 AM, New York GMT-5).
The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) is conducting an External Stakeholder Survey. They are welcoming responses from all groups in society including Civil Organizations. The deadline for completing the survey has been extended to 30 November 2021.
Join the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN) for their Annual Conference under the theme of Leveraging the Services Industry for Economic Growth to be held on the 27th of October 2021 at the Safari Hotel from 08:00 am to 17:00pm. The event will also be live-streamed on the EAN Facebook page.
The highlight of the day will be the launch of the “Civil Society Organizations Manifesto for the Eradication of Poverty in Namibia”. The main event will be held on Sunday, 17 October 2021 at the UNITED NATIONS PLAZA in Katutura, Windhoek from 12h00 to 15h00.
Join the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) for their #NoOneLeftBehindConcert: Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting All People! on Saturday, 16 October 2021 from 19:00 to 21:30 at Café Prestige, Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC).
The African Peer Review Mechanism in collaboration with GIZ and the Institute for Global Dialogue based at the Univesity of South Africa (UNISA) are launching a Virtual Training Programme on South-South Cooperation (SSC) and the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and SDGs on the Continent.
The submission deadline for abstracts has been extended to 31 October 2021. Namibians are subject to multiple and intersecting forms of inequality and discrimination. The most obvious of these are inequalities based on income and wealth distribution. While the Gini coefficient shows a reduction in Namibia’s levels of inequality since independence, the country still has one of the highest levels of inequality in the world.
On behalf of their partners, FES Namibia cordially invites you to attend the launch of their publication titled “Perspectives on Namibia’s Social Protection 2017- 2020”, taking place on the 14th October 2021 @18h00 at FES Offices, 95 John Meinert Street. Please confirm your attendance with Ms. Cheryl Kahambea by the 7th October 2021, on 061 417 500 or office@fesnam.org.na - Please note that attendance is strictly by confirmation.
The UNDP is excited to share the following UNDP call for video messages from civil society partners in the run-up to COP26. Feminist, women’s rights, and youth-led organisations are encouraged to submit video messages.
Have you always wanted to become a volunteer and work with young people to create positive social change within the community? Be part of the Social Enabled Education (SEE) Namibia team. Please note that the due date for volunteer registration is on the 15th of November 2021 - https://seenamibia.org/joinus. For more details, see the infographic below.
Join the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Namibia on Tuesday, 5 October 2021, from 10:30 to 12:00 for the launch of a research report - "Keep Your Eyes on the Money: Public fiscal management oversight in Namibia". The event will take place at the House of Democracy, 70-72 Frans Indongo Street, Windhoek West. The event will also be live-streamed on the IPPR Namibia Facebook page.
Join the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) tomorrow, 30 September 2021, from 10:00 to 11:00 for the launch of a briefing paper - Regional Government in Namibia: Is Decentralisation a Reality?. The event will take place at the House of Democracy, 70-72 Dr Frans Indongo Street, Windhoek West and it will also be live-streamed on the IPPR Namibia Facebook page.
At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably weakened the creative sector and greatly disrupted the production and distribution of cultural goods and services, UNESCO is giving a new impetus to the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals to support States and key actors in their efforts to promote the status of the artist and the diversity of cultural expressions.
Join the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Namibia on Tuesday, 28 September 2021 from 09h00 to 13h00 for a Dialogue on Dangers: SADC Cybercrime Laws and Human Rights. This is a hybrid event - with the possibility of online attendance via Zoom or physically at the House of Democracy, 70-72 Dr Frans Indongo Street, Windhoek West.
Join the Women’s Legal Centre and the Voices for Choice and Rights Coalition for a roundtable regional discussion on decriminalisation of abortion in Namibia. The webinar will take place on 22 September 2021 at 13:00 to 15:00 via Microsoft Teams.
About the Program The 2021 IMF Youth Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for young participants to become part of the global effort to build forward better and join the IMF at the forefront of the response to the crisis. Participants in the program will experience firsthand the IMF virtual Annual Meetings and participate in virtual training led by IMF experts. Selected fellows will get the opportunity to participate in a 2-day virtual workshop to meet with IMF management and senior staff and discuss current global economic issues including inclusive growth, inequality, digital economy and climate change. Application Criteria Applicants should: Be between 20 and 32 years of ageHave demonstrated experience in one or more of the following:Social activism and/or engaging with...
The Minister of Finance, Hon. Iipumbu Shiimi has asked to meet with civil society on Friday, 10 September 2021, at 14h30 to discuss ideas for the mid-year budget review due in October. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Civil Society Information Centre (CIVIC +264) would hereby like to invite you to attend this online consultation with the Minister of Finance.
Join the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Namibia on Wednesday, 8 September 2021 from 10:00 to 11:30 for the launch of the "Procurement Tracker: Compliance concerns clouds 2020/21" report. The event will also be livestreamed on the IPPR Namibia Facebook page.
INVITATION to a Civil Society briefing meeting on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Baseline Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) hosted by the Civil Society Information Centre Namibia (CIVIC +264).
Today (1 September 2021) at 15:00, the Namibian Government Information Centre will host a discussion on the Role of Civil Society: Enhancing Public Trust in COVID-19 Vaccination. The discussion will be live-streamed on TV channels, radio stations and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) social media platforms.
The Civil Society Organisations Working Group on Land Reform (CSO-WGLR) through the Desk for Social Development of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (DfSD-ELCRN) invites civil society organisations (CSOs) and land activists to a Workshop to review resolutions on Commercial Agricultural Land with special focus on Expropriation of Land with Just Compensation.
On 26 August 2021, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) issued a media release with the final results of the Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency by-elections in the Zambezi region held on Wednesday, 25 August 2021. Mr Simasiku Kennedy Simasiku was declared duly elected. The total voter turnout was 21%.
On the 20th of August 2021, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) informed the Namibian public at large that preparations for the Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency by-election are on course.
INVITATION to a CSO Workshop:
The Civil Society Organisations Working Group on Land Reform (CSO-WGLR)
C/O - DESK FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (DfSD-ELCRN)
invites civil society organisations (CSOs) and land activists to a Workshop to review progress on the implementation of Resolutions of the 2nd National Land Conference (2nd NLC - October 2018) on Urban Land Reform with special reference to Upgrading of Informal Settlements.
In an effort to ensure that young people in the Southern African region contribute towards the efforts to silence the guns and create peaceful environments conducive to development - the Youth for Peace (Y4P) Africa programme will offer youth in Southern Africa a 2-day training on Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (CPMR).
Join the Young Feminist Movement (Y-Fem) Namibia for a National Consultation on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic on August 12 & 18, 2021.
The UNESCO Windhoek Office recently published the first issue of their 2021 Newsletter (January - June 2021). The Newsletter highlights the main activities that the UNESCO Windhoek Office carried out in the first quarter of the year - some of which may be of interest to civil society.
The Namibian Journal of Social Justice (NJSJ), Volume 1 was published by the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) and launched on the 3rd August 2021. The first volume of the NJSJ addresses Namibia's housing crisis.
Namibia’s third National Youth policy was launched on 21 July 2021 by the Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Hon. Agnes Tjongarero.
The Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade (MIT) and SME development has scheduled a national stakeholder engagement meeting to share the objectives of the AfCFTA Investment Protocol on Tuesday, 20 July 2021 from 09:00 until 11:30.
With a number of countries across Southern Africa experiencing a deadly third wave of Covid-19 infections, Amnesty International and 27 other Non-Governmental Organizations are calling on regional leaders, businesses, foreign governments and donors, to ramp up efforts and increase resources to speedily vaccinate as many people as possible. -Amnesty International, 23 June 2021
Are you a FULLTIME FEMALE START-UP with an existing prototype that is innovative & disruptive? Can it be technologically enabled to provide a marketable solution that improves the well beings of the society and create employment? Here is your chance to take it to market!
Invitation to the Namibia Sports Volunteer Exchange Program Presentation to be hosted by the National Youth Sports Development Platform (NYSDP) on 4 June 2021 at 03:00 PM.
UNESCO Windhoek office is launching Media and Information Literacy (MIL) for Youth Civic Engagement in Namibia in partnership with the National Youth Council (NYC) and Namibia National Commission to UNESCO (NatCom) with financial support from the Japanese government.
The Women's Leadership Centre (WLC) will share videos on the Niger Delta and provide some background to the developments in Kavango East Region so far.
The Namibia Equal Rights Movement (NERM) calls on freedom fighters to join them in a march of love against hate and discrimination. They will gather at Johann Albrecht Street - SWAPO Party School - on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 16H00.
Joint statement by concerned Namibian human rights defenders and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) condemning the harmful and homophobic statement issued by the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) on 19 May 2021.
It is against the backdrop of the Namibia Equal Rights Movement's (NERM) pursuit of justice before the law, that they invite members of the public and media to welcome Paula and Maya to their homeland - the Republic of Namibia - FRIDAY, May 21st, 2021 at the Hosea Kutako International Airport at 5:30 PM. This may be a celebration of our fundamental human right to “Found A Family” [Article 14].
Regain Trust will be launching a project titled "Amplified: Enhancing the Participation of CSOs in the Life Skills, Education Sector".
17 May 2021 marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). IDAHOBIT was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics. Here's what some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have to say on IDAHOBIT 2021:
Namibian Sun: Civil Society Information Centre [Namibia (CIVIC +264)] coordinator Carola Engelbrecht says civil society still has a role to play when it comes to fostering a participatory democracy culture in Namibia.
According to an article by Nnimmo Bassey on Common Dreams, it is not too late for the governments of Namibia and Botswana to halt the race for an asset that is bound to get stranded as the world shifts away from fossil fuels. The quest for profit in a predatory economic system has made it possible for humans to willfully ignore extractivist crimes unfolding in broad daylight.
The Civil Society Organisations Initiative for Stolen Assets Recovery in Southern Africa (CSO-ISARSA) was set up by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that attended the UNODC workshop on Fast-tracking UNCAC Implementation held in Livingstone, Zambia from the 13th to the 18th of October 2019. A virtual Dialogue: Meeting of the Members of the Civil Society Organisations Initiative for Stolen Assets Recovery in Southern Africa (CSO-ISARSA) on May 13, 2021.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is inviting members of the public and interested and affected strategic stakeholders to share their views and inputs during the consultation and engagement meetings and thereby contribute to the drafting of the second National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (2021-2025).
This Procurement Tracker bulletin looks at the delays in the awarding of the contract for the government medical aid scheme and whether the danger of ‘state capture’ is an issue. This bulletin also reports on the controversy around the Defence Ministry allocation of a contract for hand sanitisers and the proposed amendments to the Public Procurement Act.
Information as a Public Good: World Press Freedom Day 2021 - International Conference 29 April-3 May.
His Excellency, Dr. Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia will deliver his annual State of the Nation Address at Parliament (National Assembly Chamber) on Thursday, 15 April 2021, at 14:30.
Namibia Scientific Society in collaboration with the University of Namibia, the University of Turku, Finland and the MindsInAction invite you to an online presentation and panel discussion:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education and Agriculture in Namibia on Tuesday, 13th April at 19h00.
trusted!
In this discussion, the Cynetion Team will be covering two of Facebook's biggest data leaks of personal data in as many years. The most recent one being revealed on 4 April 2021.
During the discussion, the Cynetion Team will cover what has been leaked, how does that impact on our lives and what next steps are available.
A conversation between Fishrot whistle-blower Johannes Stefansson and political analyst and fact-checker Frederico Links on fishing quota allocations and whether the current system can be trusted!
Blended Virtual Closing Public Dialogue: Combating Gender Based Violence and Learners Pregnancies - 22 April 2021.
Should Namibia consider fracking? The exploration of oil in the Kavango by Recon Africa has revealed many problems in Namibia's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system and how we address major development issues.
This is a golden opportunity for Civil Society. Please note the details of the engagement of Government with Civil Society (the NGO Sector):
Media Release from the Chairperson of the Wages Commission, Dr Marius Kudumo and the gazetted terms of reference of the Wages Commission.
On 24 February 2021, the United Nations in Namibia officially launched the Namibia National Human Development Report 2019. Read/Download the full report by clicking here.
The Gender Research & Advocacy Project (GR&AP) of the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) recently published their 2020 Annual Report. Read/Download their full annual report by clicking here
The Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG) and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) recently published their July 2019 - June 2020 Annual Report. Read/Download their full annual report by clicking here.
On December 1, 2020, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) launched the latest Civil Society Sustainability Report for Namibia. How is civil society performing - what are the success stories and what are the constraints? Find out below.
Supported by Hanns Seidel Foundation
