Children's Rights in Namibia
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Children’s Rights in Namibia Edited by Oliver C Ruppel 2009 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. This publication is also available online at www.kas.de/namibia Konrad Adenauer Foundation P.O. Box 1145 Windhoek [email protected] Dancing Sisters www.kas.de/namibia © Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Authors 2009 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. Content editor: Oliver C Ruppel Language editor: Sandie Fitchat and Helen Vale Cover design: Anton Bösl and Gavin Damon The cover design is based on the sculpture “Dancing Sisters“ by Dominic Benhura, Zimbabwe Publication design: Oliver C Ruppel and Anton Bösl Printing: John Meinert Printing (Pty) Ltd Publisher Macmillan Education Namibia PO Box 22830 Windhoek - Namibia Tel. (+264 61) 225568 ISBN 978-99916-0-891-4 Sculpture created from Serpentine in 2000 by Dominic Benhura Human Rights and Documentation Centre Faculty of Law – University of Namibia 340 Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue Private Bag 13301 Windhoek Tel. (061) 206 3664 Fax (061) 206 3293 http://www.unam.na/centres/hrdc/hrdc_index.html 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. This publication is also available online at www.kas.de/namibia Konrad Adenauer Foundation P.O. Box 1145 Windhoek [email protected] Dancing Sisters www.kas.de/namibia © Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Authors 2009 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. Content editor: Oliver C Ruppel Language editor: Sandie Fitchat and Helen Vale Cover design: Anton Bösl and Gavin Damon The cover design is based on the sculpture “Dancing Sisters“ by Dominic Benhura, Zimbabwe Publication design: Oliver C Ruppel and Anton Bösl Printing: John Meinert Printing (Pty) Ltd Publisher Macmillan Education Namibia PO Box 22830 Windhoek - Namibia Tel. (+264 61) 225568 ISBN 978-99916-0-891-4 Sculpture created from Serpentine in 2000 by Dominic Benhura Human Rights and Documentation Centre Faculty of Law – University of Namibia 340 Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue Private Bag 13301 Windhoek Tel. (061) 206 3664 Fax (061) 206 3293 http://www.unam.na/centres/hrdc/hrdc_index.html African Child Victoria Hasheela I’m a child of Africa Daughter of terrific nature In a beautiful black skin Under a glorious sun Firewood I must collect Mama porridge to prepare Off to school I should run My dream to fulfil I wish it was my turn To take the Science book home So much I need to learn But I should understand They are not enough I’m an African child But for some reason I have A heavy load to bear Whose sin I’m paying for Remains a question on my mind But through diseases and pain Due to lack of vaccines Through poverty and hunger Due to lack of support I’ll still run my race Africa is my pride Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................................iii Anton Bösl Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... v List of contributors ..................................................................................................... vii List of abbreviations .................................................................................................. xvi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Oliver C Ruppel The protection of children’s rights in Namibia: Law and policy .............................. 5 Lotta N Ambunda and Willard T Mugadza The protection of children’s rights under international law from a Namibian perspective ................................................................................................................... 53 Oliver C Ruppel A major decision: Considering the age of majority in Namibia ........................... 101 Rachel Coomer and Dianne Hubbard Work in progress: The Child Care and Protection Act in Namibia ..................... 121 Lena N Kangandjela and Clever Mapaure The best interest of the child .................................................................................... 145 Yvonne Dausab Children’s right to citizenship.................................................................................. 159 Faith Chipepera and Katharina G Ruppel-Schlichting Custody and guardianship of children .................................................................... 177 Felicity !Owoses-/Goagoses Adoption: Statutory and customary law aspects from a Namibian perspective ................................................................................................................. 189 Oliver C Ruppel and Pombili L Shipila Child labour: A universal problem from a Namibian perspective ....................... 201 Clever Mapaure Realising the right to education for all: School policy on learner pregnancy in Namibia.................................................................................................................. 223 Dianne Hubbard i Children’s rights in Namibia Customary practices and children with albinism in Namibia: A constitutional challenge? ................................................................................................................... 243 Ruusa N Ntinda Children in polygynous marriages from a customary perspective ....................... 255 Prisca N Anyolo “A man is not a man unless ...”: Male circumcision – A legal problem? .............. 267 Manfred O Hinz and Moudi Hangula Restorative justice: The case for a Child Justice Act ............................................. 283 Stefan Schulz High Court of Namibia Vulnerable Witnesses’ Project ......................................... 327 Annel M Silungwe Child suggestibility in the Namibian justice system .............................................. 331 Joab T Mudzanapabwe Understanding the perpetrators of violent crimes against children..................... 347 Veronica C de Klerk Access to information by orphans and other vulnerable children in the Ohangwena Region ................................................................................................... 363 Chiku Mchombu Child trafficking, child prostitution and the potential dangers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa ...................................................................................... 375 Michael Conteh The Ombudsman for Children in Poland: A model for Namibia? ....................... 391 Agata Rogalska-Piechota Accessibility of social assistance benefits in indigenous African communities from a South African perspective ............................................................................ 409 Gugulethu Nkosi In search of a focus: Methodological provocations in the quest for the recognition and implementation of children’s rights and legal entitlements ...... 425 Julie Stewart ii Foreword The date 20 November 1989 marked a milestone in the protection and promotion of the rights of children across the globe. On that day – after ten years of negotiations – the United Nations (UN) General Assembly finally adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. By signing this Convention, governments for the first time internationally acknowledged their responsibility towards children and the protection of their rights. Some 20 years later, in November 2009, the Convention has been ratified by 193 states – the highest number of ratifications of all international Conventions to date. The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as any human being under the age of 18, unless an earlier age of majority is attained (recognised) under the law applicable to the child. The Convention makes it very clear that children have rights, and that those rights are human rights. Children can no longer be considered as adult possessions or mere objects of their actions, but are internationally acknowledged as autonomous subjects of rights. Children’s rights are not just promises: they are inalienable rights that children can claim in courts of justice. It was the intention of this UN Convention to authoritatively stipulate the rights of the child to life, development, protection and participation. The instrument envisaged the improvement of the living conditions of all children, to enhance their development, to protect them from violence and all forms of exploitation, and to promote their participation in society. Four principles lie at the core of the Convention, namely (a) the right to equal treatment (children must not be discriminated against); (b) the priority of the well-being and best interest of the child (in family and in society); (c)