DOCSLIB.ORG

Electoral Act 5 of 2014

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Electoral Act 5 of 2014 Electoral Act 5 of 2014 (GG 5583) brought into force, with the exception of section 97(3) and (4), on 17 October 2014 by GN 208/2014 (GG 5593); section 97(3) and (4) were brought into force on 21 March 2020 by GN 85/2020 (GG 7149) ACT To provide for the establishment and constitution of the Electoral Commission of Namibia and its powers and functions; to provide for the registration of voters, nomination of candidates, conduct of the election of persons to the office of President, conduct of the election of members of the National Assembly, conduct of the election of members of regional councils and local authority councils; to provide for the holding of referenda; to provide for the registration and deregistration of political parties and the funding of political parties and organizations; to provide for the establishment of electoral tribunals and the Electoral Court and their powers and functions; and to provide for incidental matters. (Signed by the President on 19 September 2014) BE IT ENACTED as passed by the Parliament, and assented to by the President, of the Republic of Namibia as follows: [The statement above normally appears below the ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS, but it appears above the ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS in the Government Gazette publishing this Act.] ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 1. Definitions and interpretation CHAPTER 2 ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF NAMIBIA Republic of Namibia 2 Annotated Statutes Electoral Act 5 of 2014 2. Continued existence of Electoral Commission 3. Objectives of Commission 4. Powers and functions of Commission 5. Establishment, constitution and meetings of Selection Committee 6. Constitution of Commission and appointment of members of Commission 7. Qualifications of and criteria for appointment as member of the Commission 8. Conduct of members of Commission and disclosure of interest 9. Oath or affirmation of office by members of Commission 10. Term of office of members of Commission 11. Vacation of office of members of Commission and filling of vacancies 12. Meetings of Commission and decisions 13. Committees 14. Conduct of members of committees and disclosure of interest 15. Reports by Commission and furnishing of information and particulars 16. Continued existence of Directorate of Elections 17. Appointment of Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer 18. Appointment of directors and other staff members 19. Establishment of regional offices and constituency offices 20. Payment of remuneration, other benefits and expenses and conditions of service CHAPTER 3 ELECTIONS AND REFERENDA PART 1 APPLICATION OF THIS CHAPTER 21. Application of this Chapter PART 2 REGISTRATION OF VOTERS 22. Persons entitled to register as voters 23. Registration of persons temporarily outside Namibia 24. Appointment of supervisors of registration, registration officers and assistants 25. General registration of voters 26. Application for registration as voter 27. Rejection of incomplete application form 28. Refusal to register applicant 29. Appeal against refusal to register applicant 30. Registration of applicant 31. Preparation and publication of provisional voters’ registers 32. Objections against name of person included in provisional voters’ register 33. Statement of case for decision by Electoral Court 34. Cancellation of voter registration card invalidated by electoral tribunal allowing objection 35. Replacement of voter registration card 36. Preparation, certification and publication of voters’ registers 37. Voters’ registers to be kept for inspection by public 38. Supplementary registration of voters 39. Continuous registration of voters 40. Notification of change in place of residence 41. Application for registration in another constituency or local authority area 42. Information on registered deaths to be furnished to Chief Electoral Officer 43. Amendment of voters’ registers 44. Return or surrender of voter registration cards Republic of Namibia 3 Annotated Statutes Electoral Act 5 of 2014 45. Voter to establish that his or her name has been included in voters’ registers 46. Voters’ registers not invalidated by reason of errors 47. Adjustment of voters’ registers on alteration of constituencies 48. Powers of Chief Electoral Officer to demand particulars PART 3 VOTER AND CIVIC EDUCATION 49. Voter and civic education 50. Establishment of division of voter and civic education 51. Accreditation of persons providing voter and civic education 52. Code of Conduct Governing Persons Accredited to Provide Voter and Civic Education 53. Contravention of or failure to comply with conditions of accreditation or Code of Conduct Governing Persons Accredited to Provide Voter and Civic Education 54. Voter and civic education by registered political parties and registered organisations PART 4 OBSERVERS 55. Invitation of observers and electoral observer mission by Commission 56. Accreditation of observers 57. Code of Conduct Governing Accreditation to Observe Election and Persons Accredited as Observers 58. Powers and functions of accredited observers 59. Contravention of or failure to comply with conditions of accreditation or Code of Conduct Governing Accreditation to Observe Elections and Persons Accredited as Observers 60. Behaviour rules for observers 61. Training of observers 62. Report by observer PART 5 CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS Subpart 1 Preliminary arrangements 63. General elections and by-elections 64. Determination of days for submission of nominations of candidates and polling days for elections 65. Appointment of returning officers and other election officers 66. Election agents of registered political parties and registered organisations and candidates 67. Counting agents of registered political parties and registered organisations and candidates 68. Code of Conduct for Election Agents and Counting Agents and other behaviour rules for election agents and counting agents 69. Training of elections agents and counting agents 70. Report by chief regional officer on performance of election agents and counting agents 71. Oath or affirmation of secrecy Subpart 2 Nomination of candidates for presidential elections 72. Requirements for nomination as candidate for presidential elections 73. Submission of nomination as candidate for presidential elections 74. Duration of session on nomination day and consideration of nominations Republic of Namibia 4 Annotated Statutes Electoral Act 5 of 2014 75. Declaration of candidates duly nominated for election as President 76. Lack of nomination or death of candidate after nomination Subpart 3 Nomination of candidates for National Assembly elections 77. Submission of party lists 78. Publication of party lists Subpart 4 Nomination of candidates for regional council elections 79. Requirements for nomination as candidate for regional council elections 80. Submission of nomination as candidate for regional council elections 81. Duration of session on nomination day and consideration of nominations 82. Declaration of candidates duly nominated for election as members of regional councils 83. Death or incapacitation of candidate for regional council elections after nomination 84. Lack of nomination or cancellation of registration of political party after nomination Subpart 5 Nomination of candidates for local authority council elections 85. Requirements for nomination as candidate for local authority council elections 86. Submission of political party and organisation lists 87. Publication of political party and organisation lists 88. Candidate duly nominated to be declared duly elected in certain circumstances Subpart 6 General provisions relating to conduct of elections 89. Polling stations 90. Provision of equipment 91. Polling booths 92. Ballot boxes 93. Commencement and closing of poll at polling stations 94. Powers of presiding officers and other officers at polling stations Subpart 7 Voting at polling stations 95. Franchise 96. Enabling of voters to vote in election 97. Voting machines in elections 98. Place of voting 99. Voting to be by secret ballot 100. Manner of voting in elections 101. Voting process in elections held simultaneously 102. Spoilt ballot papers 103. Assistance to voters 104. Closing of poll in election at polling stations in or outside Namibia and sealing of ballot boxes and voting machines 105. Counting of votes and sealing of packets and ballot boxes, counted results of poll in case of voting machines, packets and ballot paper accounts [The second use of the word “packets” does not appear in the heading of section 105 in the text of the Act.] Republic of Namibia 5 Annotated Statutes Electoral Act 5 of 2014 106. Verification of outcome of voting at polling stations Subpart 8 Determination of result of poll and announcement of result of election 107. Absence of counting agents during verification of election 108. Verification of ballot paper and voting machine accounts at collation centre 109. Determination and announcement of result in Presidential elections 110. Determination and announcement of result in National Assembly elections 111. Determination and announcement of result in regional council elections 112. Determination and announcement of result in local authority council elections 113. Publication of result of elections 114. Safekeeping of election materials 115. Immaterial mistakes not to affect validity of elections 116. Assessment of electoral process PART 6 HOLDING OF REFERENDA Subpart 1 Commission and staff members to conduct referenda 117. Commission to direct, supervise and conduct referendum 118. Chief Electoral Officer,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Namibia Legal Environment Assessment of HIV and AIDS
    Namibia Legal Environment Assessment Of HIV and AIDS Consultants AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa: International Consultant Legal Assistance Centre: National Consultant Final Report March 2016 1 | P a g e Table of Contents Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. 5 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 6 Part I ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction and Background .............................................................................................. 10 Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................ 11 Aim .................................................................................................................................. 11 Specific objectives ........................................................................................................... 11 Key Deliverables .............................................................................................................. 12 Implementation Modalities .................................................................................................. 12 Technical Approach ........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Accountability in Namibia
    ACCOUNTABILITY IN NAMIBIA Human Rights and the Transition to Democracy Copyright 8 August 1992 by Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 92-72844 ISBN: 1-56432-077-4 Africa Watch was established in 1988 to monitor and promote observance of internationally recognized human rights in Africa. Africa Watch is a division of Human Rights Watch. The chair of Africa Watch is William Carmichael and the vice chair is Alice Brown. Rakiya Omaar is the executive director; Alex de Waal is the associate director; Janet Fleischman and Karen Sorensen are research associates; Barbara Baker, Urmi Shah and Ben Penglase are associates. Human Rights Watch is composed of Africa Watch, Americas Watch, Asia Watch, Helsinki Watch and Middle East Watch, and the Fund for Free Expression. The executive committee is comprised of Robert L. Bernstein, chair; Adrian DeWind, vice chair; Roland Algrant, Lisa Anderson, Peter Bell, Alice Brown, William Carmichael, Dorothy Cullman, Irene Diamond, Jonathan Fanton, Jack Greenberg, Alice H. Henkin, Stephen Kass, Marina Kaufman, Jeri Laber, Aryeh Neier, Bruce Rabb, Kenneth Roth, Orville Schell, Garry Sick, and Robert Wedgeworth. The staff includes Aryeh Neier, executive director; Kenneth Roth, deputy director; Holly J. Burkhalter, Washington director; Ellen Lutz, California director; Susan Osnos, press director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Joanna Weschler, Prison Project director; Dorothy Q. Thomas, Women's Rights Project director; and Allyson Collins,
    [Show full text]
  • REPORT UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL for Nal\1IBIA
    ""'~'~'-_ -.--.~.~._--_.~._-~,-~ ~ ~_.~-.",-,~-~,",,-,_.~_ ~ ,-~ -"""-~'--'~~"~:-'~'~-~-::~:::;-~.:,,~="_~~~~::-=-'::"::==::-:::",:':-~--'-':.- ~~ ~~._-~.>~--~----~--==.:.:-.::~~~::.~:;--T:~;:~"~.::~~=,:::""~:-:.:~':,.,._:'7:-:::::',::J=:~~:.~::~=::':;'¡f:.~~~~;~~i";¡~~- -.-~...".....,-•..• _ _~ ,.~ _.•~~..•.,,_ •. , ,,__~~ " ••••'.·•._,T,~....• _""•• __,_.•,._ _. ~~ _._ .... ... .< W-'" .. .. ',_" , REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL FOR NAl\1IBIA VOLUME 1 GENERAL ASSEMBLV 'OFFIGIAL RECORDS: TWENTY-NINTH SESSION SUPPLEMENT No. 24 IA/96'241) ¡ :1 ,í í" \ UNITED NATIONS p. ) REPORT OF THE I UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL \ ¡ , FOR NAMIBIA, VOLUME 1 '1 ¡, GENERAL ASSEMBLV OFFICIAL RECORDS: TWENTY-NINTH SESSION SUPPLEMENT No. 24 (A/9624) UNITED NATIONS New York, 1974 I 'J I' LETTER O) INTRODUC~ PART ONE NOTE l. POL: Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capitalletters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations documento A. The present volume contains the report of the United Nations Council for Namibia I'j B. covering the period from 2S September 1973 to 16 August 1974. Annexes 1to VII to the i! report appear in volume 11. An addendum to the report, covering the period from 17 August to 11 October 1974, appears inSupplement No. 24A (A/9624/Add.l). C. 11. ACT: CON: A. B. c. 111. LEG A. B. PART TWO l. EXPI PRE A. B. C. D. LOrigin~l: Eng1ish7 A~ I :'; II. 11 l.! t CONTENTS I ~{ A. "1 I Pr.rarrephs Pare f 1 B. vi LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL • • • • •• •• ••• • •• •• • • · . ... • • • C. INTRODUCTION . ...... ... ~ . • • • • 1 - 6 1 III. AC PART ONE: SITUATION IN NAMIBIA '1 A. 1. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS •• • • •• •• • • •• 7 98 2 · . · .. 1 B. A. General political situation •.•.•.••.•• o 7 - 16 2 B.
    [Show full text]
  • Constitutional Democracy in Namibia
    Constitutional democracy in Namibia A critical analysis after two decades Edited by Anton Bösl, Nico Horn & André du Pisani A This publication would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Please note that the views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and of the editors. Konrad Adenauer Foundation P.O. Box 1145 Windhoek [email protected] www.kas.de/namibia © Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung and the Authors 2010 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Cover design: Red Sky and Anton Bösl Content editors: Anton Bösl, Nico Horn & André du Pisani Language editor: Sandie Fitchat Printing: John Meinert Printing (Pty) Ltd Publisher Macmillan Education Namibia PO Box 22830 Windhoek Namibia Tel. (+264 61) 225568 ISBN 978-99916-2-439-6 B Table of contents Foreword .......................................................................................................................iii Peter H Katjavivi Introduction .................................................................................................................... v Anton Bösl, Nico Horn and André du Pisani List of contributors ......................................................................................................xiii
    [Show full text]
  • The Justice Sector & the Rule of Law in Namibia
    The Justice Sector & the Rule of Law in Namibia Management, Personnel and Access John Nakuta & Faith Chipepera A The Justice Sector and the Rule of Law in Namibia Management, Personnel and Access John Nakuta & Faith Chipepera Published by: Namibia Institute for Democracy Human Rights and Documentation Centre Funded by: Embassy of Finland Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa Copyright: The Authors The Namibia Institute for Democracy No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission of the publisher Language Editing: William Hofmeyr Design & Layout: DV8 Saatchi & Saatchi Printed by: John Meinert Printing ISBN: 978 - 99916 - 865 - 4 Background to the Series This publication forms part of the seriesThe Justice Sector and the Rule of Law in Namibia, which is jointly published by the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) and the Human Rights and Documentation Centre (HRDC), which is based in the Faculty of Law at the University of Namibia (UNAM). The series comprises three publications:Framework, Selected Legal Aspects and Cases; Management, Personnel and Access; and The Criminal Justice System. It has been published within the scope of a corporate agreement between the NID and the Embassy of Finland, with the overall aim of strengthening the institutional, advocacy and anti-corruption capacity of civil society and selected government institutions. The series does not claim to be either comprehensive or without some rough edges; after all, the publications are the products of capacity building. Divergent views are reflected with the aim of providing the reader with an overview of the nexus where the rule of law intersects with the administration of justice and with the protection and promotion of human rights in general, and in particular of the rights of those most vulnerable within our society, such as women and children.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Environmental Law and Policy for Namibia 2011
    Environmental Law and Policy in Namibia Edited by Oliver C Ruppel Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa Katharina Ruppel-Schlichting Senior Legal Researcher, Legal Research and Development Trust of Namibia (LRDT) 2011 Hanns Seidel Stiftung Legal Research and Development Trust of Namibia PO Box 22524 PO Box 11334 Windhoek Windhoek Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.hsf.org.na Tel +264 (0)61 237373 Environmental Law and Policy in Namibia For additional materials and information see www.environment-namibia.net ISBN 978-3-939886-01-3 (Germany) ISBN 978-99916-849-4-9 (Namibia) Copyright Hanns Seidel Foundation (2011) and authors. The content of the articles, including any final errors or omissions that remain, is the sole responsibility of the individual contributors. The editors have made every effort to acknowledge the use of copyright material. Should any infringement of copyright have occurred, please contact the editor, and every effort will be made to rectify omissions or errors, in the event of a reprint or new edition. Co-published by OrumbondePress.na & Welwitschia Verlag Dr. A. Eckl, Essen. Printed by John Meinert Printing (Pty) Ltd ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiii THE EDITORS xiv THE CONTRIBUTORS xvi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xxi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xxv INTRODUCTION: NAMIBIA AND ITS LEGAL SETUP 1 Oliver C Ruppel & Katharina Ruppel-Schlichting 1 Namibia in a Nutshell: Facts and Figures 2 The Legal Setup in Namibia 3 The Laws 4 The Court System 4.1 The Supreme Court 4.2
    [Show full text]
  • 08Amnesty International Report
    AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2008 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2008 THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S HUMAN RIGHTS 0 8 08 08 First published in 2008 by A catalogue record for this Printed on 100% recycled All rights reserved. No part Amnesty International book is available from the post-consumer waste paper by of this publication may be International Secretariat British Library. Pureprint Group reproduced, stored in a retrieval Peter Benenson House East Sussex system, or transmitted, 1 Easton Street Original language: English United Kingdom in any form or by any means, London WC1X ODW electronic, mechanical, United Kingdom Photographs: Pureprint is a CarbonNeutral® photocopying, recording and/or All photographs appear with company, and uses only otherwise without the prior © Copyright full credits and captions vegetable-oil-based inks. permission of the publishers. Amnesty International elsewhere in the report. Publications 2008 www.amnesty.org AI Index: POL 10/001/2008 ISBN: 978-0-86210-431-3 ISSN: 0309-068X AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2008 THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S HUMAN RIGHTS This report covers the period08 January to December 2007. Amnesty International Nepal holds a rally in Kathmandu on 1 October 2007 in solidarity with all those being repressed in Myanmar. © Amnesty International PREFACE ‘FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND WANT HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED AS THE HIGHEST ASPIRATION OF THE COMMON PEOPLE’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 Published in the 60th anniversary year of the The entries indicate when Amnesty International Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Amnesty has visited the country and list some of our relevant International Report 2008 documents human rights documents produced during the year.
    [Show full text]
  • Sarah-Erickson-Human
    Human Rights Issues in Namibia1 Sarah Erickson, J.D. “It is one thing to have a good constitution and laws, but quite another to implement and honor them.” - Namibian diplomat Ambassador Tuliameni Kalomoh, Special Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation The country of Namibia gained its independence from South Africa in 1990. This broke the chains of apartheid that the country had endured since 1920 under South African rule. Since independence, Namibia has made some important strides in protecting the human rights of its citizens. Namibia is a party to the International Criminal Court and is also a member of the African Union, which includes the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. These memberships provide the country with an array of options for seeking justice for human rights abuses at the international level. Namibia also acceded to a number of the UN human rights conventions and treaties, • the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; • the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; • the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; • the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and its additional protocol; • the Convention Against Torture; • the Convention of the Rights of the Child; and • the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While these commitments are important steps in ensuring basic human rights for all Namibians, the country has not ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families or the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and the country continues to struggle to enact and enforce laws that adequately fulfill the commitments made to human rights.
    [Show full text]
  • Constitution
    CONSTITUTION The Namibian Constitution is not legislation in the same way as the other laws listed here, but is the Supreme Law of independent Namibia. NAMIBIAN CONSTITUTION Summary: The Namibian Constitution (GG 2) is the fundamental law of independent Namibia. All other laws are subject to it. It was adopted by elected representatives of the Namibian people after Namibia’s first democratic elections. It was published and came into force on the date of Independence: 21 March 1990 (Article 130 of the Namibian Constitution). Amendments: Article 132 of the Namibian Constitution sets out the procedures for its amendment. It has been amended by the following – Namibian Constitution First Amendment Act 34 of 1998 (GG 2014) Namibian Constitution Second Amendment Act 7 of 2010 (GG 4480) Namibian Constitution Third Amendment Act 8 of 2014 (GG 5589). Because of their importance, these amending Acts all have separate entries in this section. Notes: The Legal Assistance Centre publishes a simple summary of key provisions of the Constitution in multiple languages in a booklet entitled Know Your Constitution. Cases: Cases involving the Constitution are numerous and are not listed here. Where other legislation has been tested against the Constitution, those cases are listed under the entries for the statute in question. A few selected cases are cited at the end of this section. Commentary: For commentary on constitutional issues, see the list at the end of this section. Assignment of Powers Act 4 of 1990 Summary: This Act (GG 29) empowers the President to establish departments and other administrative divisions and to assign the administration of certain laws to the Prime Minister or to any Minister.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Namibia
    Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Namibia Edited by Nico Horn and Anton Bösl 1 This publication would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF). Please note that the views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the KAF. KAF is not responsible for the opinions presented in this publication. Konrad Adenauer Foundation P.O. Box 1145 Windhoek [email protected] www.kas.de/namibia © Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Authors All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. First published: 2008 Second edition: 2009 Cover design: Anton Bösl and John Meinert Printing The cover design is based on a painting by Helen Lieros from Gallery Delta, Harare, Zimbabwe Content editors: Nico Horn and Anton Bösl Language editor: Sandie Fitchat Publication design: Anton Bösl Layout: The Word Factory Printed by: John Meinert Printing (Pty) Ltd Publisher Macmillan Namibia PO Box 22830 Windhoek Namibia Tel. (+264 61) 232165 ISBN 978-99916-0-915-7 2 Table of contents Contributors 5 Foreword 9 Peter Shivute Foreword to the 2nd edition (2009) 10 Norbert Lammert List of abbreviations 11 Introduction 13 Nico Horn and Anton Bosl The rule of law in Namibia 17 Sam K Amoo and Isabella Skeffers
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights in Namibia
    Human Rights Issues in Namibia1 Sarah Erickson, J.D. Benjamin B. Ferencz Fellow in Human Rights and Law “It is one thing to have a good constitution and laws, but quite another to implement and honor them.” - Namibian diplomat Ambassador Tuliameni Kalomoh, Special Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation The country of Namibia gained its independence from South Africa in 1990. This broke the chains of apartheid that the country had endured since 1920 under South African rule. Since independence, Namibia has made some important strides in protecting the human rights of its citizens. Namibia is a party to the International Criminal Court and is also a member of the African Union, which includes the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. These memberships provide the country with an array of options for seeking justice for human rights abuses at the international level. Namibia also acceded to many UN human rights conventions and treaties, • the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; • the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; • the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; • the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and its additional protocol; • the Convention Against Torture; • the Convention of the Rights of the Child; and • the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While these commitments are important steps in ensuring basic human rights for all Namibians, the country has not ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families or the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and the country continues to struggle to enact and enforce laws that adequately fulfill the commitments made to human rights.
    [Show full text]
  • Bilateral Visits -- Namibia and South Africa
    Report of the Canadian Parliamentary Delegation respecting its participation at the Bilateral Mission to the Republic of Namibia and the Republic of South Africa Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association Windhoek, Namibia and Cape Town, South Africa February 28 to March 5, 2016 Report MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION The Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association (“the Association”) was represented by the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair of the Association; the Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, Co-Chair of the Association; the Honourable Jim Munson, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Association; David Christopherson, M.P., Vice- Chair of the Association; Robert Oliphant, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Association; and Dave Van Kesteren, M.P. The delegation was accompanied by David Andrés Novoa, Association Secretary, and Brian Hermon, Analyst of the Association. MISSION OBJECTIVES The Association conducted bilateral visits to Windhoek, Namibia and Cape Town, South Africa, from 28 February to 5 March 2016. This was the Association’s second bilateral visit to both Namibia and South Africa, following initial bilateral visits to these countries in 2009 and 2006 respectively. In Namibia, the Association had the following objectives: to follow-up on its 2009 bilateral visit and to reinforce parliamentary relations between Canada and Namibia; to exchange views with parliamentarians from both the government and opposition on how they fulfil their roles as representatives, and in the business of Parliament; to strengthen relations with the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum; to acquaint parliamentarians – both Canadian and African – with Canada’s involvement in the region, including its development support and business activity; and, to discuss the issue of corporate social responsibility with business groups involved in the extractive industry sector.
    [Show full text]