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Namibia Supreme Court rules government must recognize same-sex marriages from abroad

Plaintiff couples sought spousal immigration rights

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A landmark ruling the Supreme Court of Namibia issued on Tuesday ruled that same-sex marriages conducted outside the southern African country should be recognized by the Namibian government. 

Two same-sex couples have emerged victorious in their fight for the recognition of their marriages conducted outside Namibia in a ruling that paves the way for equal rights and spousal immigration benefits for same-sex couples in the country.

The joint cases, initially brought before the court in March, involved South African national Daniel Digashu who is married to Namibian citizen Johann Potgieter, and German national Anita Seiler-Lilles, who is married to Namibian citizen Anette Seiler. 

The couples aimed to access essential spousal immigration rights, including permanent residence and employment authorization.

Both couples expressed relief following the ruling. 

ā€œI feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. I feel that I can continue with life now, in a sense,ā€ Digashu said. ā€œI cannot explain just how relieved I am that we wonā€™t have to make plans to leave. Now we can stop for a moment and breathe, and take things easy and just know that we are home and there is no potential of being forced to leave.ā€

For her part, Seiler said after a sleepless night in anticipation of the ruling, she and her wife look forward to celebrating a dream come true. 

ā€œWe are married and we promised each other that we will stay together no matter what and that promise weā€™ve upheld through this fight for this recognition of our marriage,” Seiler said. ā€œWe wouldā€™ve stayed together no matter what but we can stay together here in this beautiful country and we can make it our home country. That was Anitaā€™s biggest wish and thatā€™s my wish as well, and now this wish comes true. Itā€™s so incredible.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling challenged a previous precedent set by the Immigration Selection Board. While acknowledging the binding nature of the precedent, the court asserted that it can depart from its own decisions if they are proven to be clearly wrong.

The court ruled that the Home Affairs and Immigration Ministry’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriages validly concluded outside Namibia violates the constitutional rights of the affected parties.

Furthermore, the court emphasized that the rights to dignity and equality are interconnected, and the denial of recognition for same-sex marriages undermines these fundamental principles. It reaffirmed the principle that if a marriage is lawfully concluded in accordance with the requirements of a foreign jurisdiction, it should be recognized in Namibia.

This ruling represents a significant milestone in the fight for LGBTQ and intersex rights in Namibia. By expanding the interpretation of the term “spouse” in the Immigration Control Act to include same-sex spouses legally married in other countries, the court has taken a crucial step toward achieving equality and inclusivity.

One of the five judges who heard the two appeals dissented from the majority ruling. 

He argued that Namibia is under no obligation to recognize marriages that are inconsistent with its policies and laws, emphasizing the traditional understanding of marriage and the protection of heteronormative family life.

The dissenting opinion highlights the ongoing divisions and complexities surrounding the issue of marriage equality in the country. While it underscores the need for continued dialogue and debate, the majority decision in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages highlights the importance of constitutional rights and the principle of equality. 

Southern African Litigation Center Executive Director Anneke Meerkotter commended the courtā€™s decision. 

ā€œThe Namibian Supreme Court has set an important example, interpreting legislation in accordance with the core principles of constitutional interpretation and independent adjudication, thus avoiding irrelevant considerations relating to public opinion and unfounded allegations raised by the government about public policy,” Meerkotter said. ā€œInstead, the court steered the argument back to the history of discrimination in Africa and the necessary constitutional reforms that emphasized transition to dignity and equality without discrimination.ā€

Speaking on what the ruling means for the LGBTQ and intersex community in Namibia, Seiler said it provides hope and inspiration not only to the couples involved but also to the broader community in Namibia and on the continent. 

ā€œWe know that we fought this battle not only for us. In the beginning we were fighting it for us, but then we realized it’s not only for us, it’s for other people as well. Iā€™m glad that we did it, that we fought this fight,ā€ she said. 

Both Seiler and Digashu said the support of the LGBTQ and intersex community and its allies has been a pillar of strength over the 6-year battle with the courts. 

ā€œIt has always been about the community because we deserve to have it all without being put down or being told this is not allowed. So, I think this is a big win for the community as a whole. Itā€™s not about us, or just our families. Itā€™s for absolutely everyone!ā€ Digashu said.

Omar van Reenen, co-founder of Equal Namibia, a youth-led social movement for equality, said the ruling has strengthened the promise of equality and freedom from discrimination in the country. 

ā€œThe Supreme Court really made a resounding decision. It just feels like our existence matters ā€” that we belong and that our human dignity matters,” he said. ā€œThe Supreme Court … has upheld the most important thing today and that is the constitutionā€™s promise that everyone is equal before the law and that the rights enshrined in our preamble reign supreme, and equality prevails.” 

As the Supreme Court is the highest court in Namibia, decisions made in this court are binding on all other courts in the country unless it is reversed by the Supreme Court itself or is contradicted if Parliament passes a law that is enacted.

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Africa

Suspension of US aid forces PEPFAR-funded programs in Africa to close down

Funding freeze is ‘matter of life and death’

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The suspension of nearly all U.S. foreign aid has forced a number of programs that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funds in Africa to shut down.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Jan. 24Ā directedĀ State Department personnel to stop nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending for 90 days in response toĀ an executive orderĀ that President Donald Trump signed after his inauguration. Rubio later issued a waiver that allows PEPFAR and other ā€œlife-saving humanitarian assistanceā€ programs to continue operating after bowing to pressure.

A message on the U.S. Agency for International Development’s website notes “all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs.” The announcement is scheduled to take place on Friday at 11:59 p.m. ET.

One of the PEPFAR-funded healthcare programs in Kenya still impacted by the funding freeze, despite Rubio’s waiver, is the Fahari ya Jamii (“joy of the community” in Swahili) initiative that began in 2022. The University of Nairobi was jointly implementing the project.

The Sh4.2 billion ($32,558,139.52) project sought to coordinate and manage high quality, cost-effective, and accessible HIV services in Nairobi, neighboring Kajiado County, and other parts of Kenya. Fahari ya Jamii was scheduled to end in May 2026, but it has closed indefinitely because of a lack of U.S. funding.

More than 700 staff, mostly healthcare workers, on Jan. 31 were placed on unpaid leave for three months, or until Washington decides whether to unfreeze funding. More than 150 Fahari ya Jamii clinics that offer HIV treatment to at least 72,000 people on antiretroviral drugs have also shut down.

The initiativeā€™s target groups include children, adolescents, and adults living with HIV; young people, men, and women at risk of HIV; and key populations that include men who have sex with men and female sex workers.  Fahari ya Jamii since 2022 has offered HIV tests to more than 257,500 people, connected 94 percent of those who tested positive to treatment, distributed condoms and lubricants, and disseminated safter sex messages to their target groups.

Faith Ndungā€™u, advocacy manager for Kenya’s Health NGOs’ Network (HENNET) said the Trump-Vance administration should have used a humane approach to engage with countries that benefit from U.S. funding, instead of abruptly suspending it.

ā€œWe are feeling the magnitude of the suspension in the health sector because these are lives; these are people,” said Ndung’u. “When such an abrupt decision is made, we are talking about more than one million people living with HIV being affected.ā€

HENNET is an umbrella group with 112 members from local and international NGOs, faith-based organizations, and research institutions that focus on health-related issues inĀ Kenyaā€™s 47 local governments.

ā€œThis is now a wakeup call for Kenya and Africa to invest in the health sector by funding it more not to be in a similar crisis when a donor pulls out or forfeits his commitment,ā€ Ndungā€™u said.  

Local governments that also rely on USAID to run PEPFAR programs have suspended their U.S.-funded activities and phased out the stand-alone comprehensive HIV care centers by integrating treatment and care into general health care services. This move has forced hundreds of health care workers to go onto unpaid leave and wait for further guidance.

Pema Kenya, a Mombasa-based queer lobby group, said the decision to suspend funding means “uncertain times” for the LGBTQ community and Kenyans at large who depend upon U.S.-funded groups for their health care.

ā€œMany queer organizations rely heavily on USAID funding for vital services such as HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, mental health support, and legal aid,ā€ Pema Kenya stated.

Pema Kenya noted the suspension of U.S. aid could severely cripple queer organizations and leave vulnerable people with limited access to crucial resources.

ā€œThis would be a significant setback in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other health crises disproportionately affecting the LGBTQ+ community,ā€ Pema Kenya stated.   

GALCK, a coalition of 16 Kenyan LGBTQ rights groups, was even more blunt.

“This isn’t just a policy decision; it’s a matter of life and death,” it said in a statement.

OUT and Engage Man’s Health ā€” two South African organizations that provide HIV services to MSM, transgender people, sex workers, and other vulnerable groups through PEPFAR ā€” have also been impacted by the U.S. funding freeze.

OUT and Engage Manā€™s Health, which provides HIV services to MSM, announced on Jan. 27 that it will stop offering services ā€œuntil further noticeā€ due to a lack of funding. The organization asked its clients to seek services from the nearest public health facilities.

ā€œWe deeply value our clients and remain committed to safeguarding your health,” said the announcement. “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disruption this may cause. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide further details at this time.ā€

Kenya and most other African countries have said a permanent suspension of U.S. aid will adversely impact progress made in the health sector, particularly the fight against HIV/AIDS. Botswana and some other nations on the continent that use their national budgets to purchase antiretroviral drugs, have assured their citizens the supply of these medications will not be interrupted.

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Uganda

Ugandan advocacy groups step up fight against mpox

More than 500 new cases reported in country over last two weeks

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(Image by rarrarorro/Bigstock)

As mpox cases continue to surge in Uganda, LGBTQ rights organizations have raised concerns over its ā€œtroubling increaseā€ among the queer community and have advised it to be on high alert.  

The Uganda Key Populations Consortium, an LGBTQ rights organization, working closely with the Health Ministry and Kampala Capital City Authority and other government bodies to stem the spread of mpox, has warned that queer people in semi-urban areas are the most affected.   

ā€œThese communities have expressed valid concerns regarding stigma and discrimination which may deter individuals from seeking necessary medical attention,ā€ UKPC Director General Richard Lusimbo said.  

Uganda has recorded 512 new mpox cases in the last two weeks, bringing the total number of cases to 2,127 and 12 deaths, as the Health Ministry confirmed on Tuesday. The World Health Organizationā€™s latest multi-country report on the mpox outbreak, released on Jan. 11, indicates that Uganda has recorded 1,552 cases and 12 deaths since the disease was first reported last July..      

The WHO report places the capital Kampala with the highest number of mpox diseases spread through community transmission with an infection incidence of 45 cases per 100,000 people, followed by the Wakiso and Nakasongola districts.

ā€œCases have been reported in at least 49 percent (71 out of 146) of districts in the country, but the epidemic remains largely concentrated in and around Kampala,ā€ the WHO report reads. ā€œSo far, only clade Ib MPXV, linked to the outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been detected in the country, and current evidence indicates that transmission of the virus is occurring exclusively through close, physical human-to-human contact.ā€ 

People between 20-29 are the most affected group, with sexual contact as a major mode of transmission among sex workers and men who have sex with men.

The UKPC has issued an urgent health advisory to the queer community as it collaborates with the Health Ministry and KCCA in responding to the mpox transmission through immediate and long-term actions, including integrating its response with ongoing HIV prevention and care strategies. 

Lusimbo, whose organization has also partnered with WHO and the Most At Risk Populations Initiative, a local health NGO, to stem the spread of mpox stated a unified preventive approach that is inclusive and effective is vital for the health and safety of all Ugandans.   

ā€œThe fear of stigma and discrimination can exacerbate the situation by hindering effective response and treatment efforts,ā€ Lusimbo said. 

He noted that the fight against mpox in Uganda is not just limited to managing a health crisis. It also offers the queer community an opportunity to advocate for the rights and dignity of the marginalized groups. 

The UKPC last week unveiled an online survey on the mpox epidemic targeting queer people in Uganda to reliably understand its impact on them and their knowledge about the disease.Ā 

ā€œMpox continues to disproportionately affect mostly our community, especially female sex workers and their clients, and men who have sex with men,ā€ the survey reads. ā€œAs the national secretariat and coordinating body for key populations, UKPC, in partnership with KCCA, has been leading important discussions on the diseaseā€™s public health implications in areas where the impact is most notable.ā€

The report states the survey data will help develop tailored, inclusive, and equitable interventions for the LGBTQ community. The survey also seeks to provide specific numbers of queer people who have contracted mpox and those who have died from the disease.

Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium Coordinator John Grace attributed the lack of data about queer people affected by mpox to privacy concerns, stigma, and discrimination against the community by the homophobic public and state authorities tasked with enforcing anti-homosexuality laws. He said the Anti-Homosexuality Law has created a significant barrier for queer people to report such abuses.

ā€œThis makes it difficult to ascertain the true extent of stigma and discrimination or the impact of misinformation about transmission methods,ā€ Grace said.  

Grace also noted the collaboration between LGBTQ organizations and healthcare providers in tackling mpox has been ā€œinconsistent.ā€ 

ā€œWhile some providers have been welcoming and supportive, others demonstrate a lack of awareness or sensitivity regarding the specific needs of the LGBTQ+ community,ā€ he said.

Despite the homophobic climate in Uganda amid the fight against mpox, Grace noted many LGBTQ organizations have proactively disseminated accurate information to educate queer people about the diseaseā€™s prevention within their communities through educational campaigns and safer sex practices.   

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Ghana

Ghanaā€™s president says anti-LGBTQ bill ā€˜effectively is deadā€™

Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill passed in 2024

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Ghanaian President John Mahama (Photo via John Mahama's official Instagram account)

Advocacy groups in Ghana have welcomed the demise of a bill that would have further criminalized LGBTQ people and outlawed allyship.

President John Mahama on Jan. 14 said the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill that MP Sam George of Ningo-Prampram co-sponsored in 2021 was essentially dead. Mahama made the remarks to a delegation of bishops from the Ghana Catholic Bishopā€™s Conference.

“If we are teaching our values in schools, we wouldnā€™t need to pass a bill to enforce family values,ā€ said Mahama. ā€œMore than just passing the Family Values Bill, we need to agree on a curriculum that instills these values in our children as they grow.ā€

The president also said that although MPs passed the bill last February, parliament dissolved before former President Nana Akufo-Ado, whose term ended earlier this month, signed it.

“I donā€™t know what the promoters of the bill intend to do, but I think we should have a conversation about it again,ā€ said Mahama. ā€œAs far as I know, the bill did not get to the president. So, the convention is that all bills that are not assented to law before the expiration of the life of parliament, expire. So that bill effectively is dead.ā€

LGBT+ Rights Ghana Communications Director Berinyuy Burinyuy said the president’s remarks offer a glimmer of hope for LGBTQ Ghanaians who have long been subjected to systemic discrimination, fear, and violence.

“For many, the mere suggestion that LGBT+ issues could be addressed through education rather than criminalization represents a significant departure from the traditional legislative path championed by the billā€™s proponents,ā€ said Burinyuy. ā€œThis shift implies a possible opening for dialogue and a more inclusive approach, one that recognizes the need for respect and understanding of diverse sexual identities within Ghanaian society.”

Burinyuy, however, asked about how family values will be incorporated into the educational curriculum.

“Will the curriculum provide a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of human sexuality that respects diversity, or will it risk reinforcing discriminatory attitudes under the guise of cultural preservation?ā€ said Burinyuy. ā€œThe fear, particularly among LGBT+ activists is that the emphasis on education could inadvertently foster homophobia in Ghanaian children. If the content is not carefully structured, it could perpetuate harmful stereotypes and deepen existing prejudices.ā€

“While Mahama may not yet be fully committing to a clear policy direction, his statement leaves open the possibility of a more balanced approach, one that allows for a national conversation on sexual rights without rushing into divisive legislation,ā€ added Burinyuy.

We Are All Ghana said Mahamaā€™s comments are a welcomed approach in addressing anti-LGBTQ sentiments and negative stereotyping.

“We need a holistic educational curriculum for our schools,ā€ said We Are All Ghana. ā€œThe children at least deserve to know the truth. There is nothing worse than half baked information.ā€

Yaw Mensah, an LGBTQ activist, said Mahama is teaching Ghanaians to be tolerant of everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“Mahama is indirectly saying LGBT persons are not Ghanaā€™s problems. Letā€™s teach families values that accept and respect everyone. Ghanaian values should be tolerance, respect, honesty, hardworking, hospitality, and integrity,ā€ said Mensah. ā€œThose need to be taught and not the hate, discrimination, barbarism, greediness, and hypocrisy that we are seeing in many leaders which transcends into the young ones.”

George has yet to comment on Mensahā€™s comments about his bill.

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