IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS VOLUNTARY NATIONAL REVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ 4 FOREWORD .........................................................................................................................5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................9 NAMIBIA’S DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT AND THE SDGs ........................................10 ASSESSING THE MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SDGs ...................................11 Creating Ownership at all levels: ..................................................................................... 11 Alignment of SDGs with the National Vision and National Development Planning .......................................................................................................... 11 Institutional Mechanisms for SDG implementation, coordination, review and reporting .............................................................................................................. 11 Tracking Progress: Status of selected SDGs in Namibia .................................... 12 EVALUATING POLICIES AND STRATEGIES .............................................................. 43 CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD ........................................................................ 43 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AALS Affirmative Action Loan Scheme CAP Common African Position CVD Cardio-Vascular Diseases CAT The Convention Against Torture, and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment CBNRM Community-Based Natural Resources Management Programme CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women CFs Community Forests CRC The Convention on the Rights of the Child CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities DD Demographic Dividend EMIS Education Sector Management Information Report EEZ Exclusive Economic Zones EIAs Environmental Impact Assessments EMPs Environment Management Plans GBV Gender Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GERG Gross Expenditure on Research and Development HLC High-Level Committee HPP Harambee Prosperity Plan HDI Human Development Index ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights IECD Integrated Early Childhood Development LAC Legal Assistance Centre MDGs Millenium Development Goals MSME Micro Small and Medium Enterprises NDHS Namibia Demographic Health Survey NDHS National Demographic Health Survey NDRMS Namibia’s disaster risk management systems NCDs Non-communicable Diseases NDP5 Fifth National Development Plan NEEFF Namibia Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework NPC National Planning Commission NSA Namibia Statistics Agency NUST Namibia University of Science and Technology RISDP Regional Integrated Strategic Development Plan SDGs Sustainable Development Goals TVET Vocational Education and Training UNCLOS United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea VNR Voluntary National Review 4 Voluntary National Review 2018 FOREWORD Namibia recognizes the importance of the Sustainable completion period 2015 and the initial implementation Development Goals (SDGs), as reflected in the of SDGs in 2016/2017. The 2018 VNR also highlights contribution made by the country in the formulation the milestones, challenges, mitigating strategies and processes, particularly the intra-Africa regional targets set by Namibia, as reflected in the country’s processes that culminated in a common negotiating current developmental priorities. instrument called the Common African Position (CAP) on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Namibia As a country, Namibia prides itself for having made served as a member of the High-Level Committee good progress in a number of areas ranging from (HLC) representing the African sub-region. In addition, poverty reduction to achieving universal access to Namibia, joined by 47 other UN member-states, primary education; increased access to safe drinking volunteered to submit the first (1st) SDGs Voluntary water; a reduction in HIV and AIDS infection rates; National Review (VNR) in 2018. improvement in access to treatment; and an increase in life expectancy etc. The VNR demonstrates Namibia’s commitment towards the localized implementation of the SDGs. However, significant challenges still exist and continue This commitment is reflected in the processes that to impact on the achievement of these Goals. In the country has undertaken to ensure full integration acknowledgement of these challenges, several of the SDGs into the developmental documents; strategies are currently being implemented to ensure particularly Namibia’s Fifth National Development the attainment of all SDGs targets. Plan (NDP5). An extensive campaign was undertaken to sensitize the Namibian community on both the Going forward, Namibia remains committed to the SDGs and Agenda 2063 and the need to make them realisation of the SDGs and will continue to invest relevant to the country. resources to ensure that targets, as set for the specific goals, are achieved. Domestic resources In terms of monitoring and evaluating the and international support, in the spirit of the Global implementation process of the SDGs, existing national Partnership for the SDGs as embedded in Goal 17, will structures are utilised to ensure harmonised reporting be mobilized to ensure the effective implementation of and accountability in order to avoid parallel processes. national developmental programmes that will enable A baseline report was compiled to provide data on the the attainment of the SDGs set. status of the SDGs’ indicators which allowed Namibia to report on progress made. Furthermore, Namibia is committed to complete the development of the National Indicator Framework in order to provide key meta-data on all the indicators to be used in the ………………………………………………. monitoring and reporting thereof. Hon. Obeth Mbuipaha Kandjoze Minister in the Presidency responsible for Economic The 2018 VNR reflects the progress which Namibia has Planning and Director General made by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) National Planning Commission Voluntary National Review 2018 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Namibia prides itself on the milestones reached with and is projected at 1.2 and 2.1 percent in 2018 and respect to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 2019 respectively, thereby negatively impacting on It is in this same spirit that the country has made a firm industrial and investment growth. Rural poverty has commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development reduced significantly from 34 percent to 25.1 percent, Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The institutionalization of the although still remains a challenge, and therefore much SDGs has been well executed as embedded in the needs to be done to ensure that rural communities current Fifth National Development Plan (NDP5). are emancipated. The Plan focuses on Economic Progression; Social Transformation; Environmental Sustainability; and Achieve gender equality (including equity) and Good Governance which accordingly takes into empower women and girls account the SDGs’ pillars of People, Prosperity, Planet, Over the course of the MDGs and the period transiting Peace and Partnership. into the SDGs to date, Namibia has performed well with respect to gender equity and equality in the Namibia continues to record commendable spheres of education, political representation, and milestones in terms of progress made on several land rights, including policy and legislation. Women’s indicators. However, it is important to acknowledge access to economic and productive resources has that there are several challenges which are currently improved since independence. To date, according to impeding progress regarding the implementation the Global Gender Gap Report, women account for 35 and achievement of these Goals. percent of the wage employment in the agriculture sector and 51 percent of women are employed in the The following are the key milestones and corresponding informal sector. Additionally, 27 percent of privately challenges to date: owned firms employ female top managers and 43 percent of parliamentarians are women; representing Economic progression, inequality and end poverty an improvement from 25 percent in 2010. Furthermore, in all of its forms everywhere in the public sector, women in managerial positions The Gini-Coefficient has improved over the past five account for 43 percent in relation to 57 percent of years from 0.58 to 0.56. This can be attributed to the men. In terms of governance there are currently 22 pro-poor policies and programmes that Namibia has women ministers (members of the executive), which put in place. In addition, over the past ten years (2008- represents 40 percent. 2017) Namibia has recorded significant progress regarding economic growth, averaging 3.7 percent As part of the work to be done going forward, the annually. This is attributed to the country’s efforts to proportion of women partaking in science and other stimulate economic activities through government high paying fields remain low; there are few women expenditure and foreign investment. Namibia has also in positions of leadership compared to men. The managed to decrease poverty levels over the last high rates of poverty among women coupled with