NAMIBIA: SOCIETY, EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT AND ECONOMY

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Namibia is characterized by great economic inequality; Segregation has continued since the end of apartheid, although more non-whites have joined the upper classes. The wealthier classes of all races are distinguished by expensive cars, large homes in exclusive neighborhoods, a command of English, attendance at private schools, and extensive travel.

In the rural communal areas, men and boys generally care for livestock, build and maintain homesteads, plow fields, and contribute with some agricultural labor, while women and girls do most of the agricultural labor, food preparation, childcare, and household work. Women still have fewer economic opportunities than men, and the incidence of rape and domestic violence is extremely high.

Weddings are extremely important social events in Namibia, bringing family and friends together to sing, dance, and feast. It has been estimated that nearly one in seven women in Namibia live in polygamous relationships.

Parents receive substantial help with child rearing from other family members. It is not unusual for children to live with other relatives if the parents have work obligations. Most boys and girls attend primary school, although sometimes they stay at home to help with the livestock or crops.

Children are supposed to start primary education at age 6, but some only start school at a later stage. Seven years of primary education plus 3 years of secondary education leads to a Junior Secondary School Certificate (also called Grade 10 ) .After successful completion of 12 grades the learner is a warded the Senior Secondary Certificate qualification which can be either the International General Certificate of Education (IGCSE) or the Higher International General Certificate of Education (HIGCSE). IGCSE exam papers are set and marked in Namibia, but moderated by Cambridge.

The Republic of Namibia attained its independence on 21 March 1990 and was established as a democratic and unitary State. In accordance with the doctrine of separation of powers, the government is divided into three organs: The Executive, The Legislative and The Judiciary.

Each organ is responsible for a different function of the government. The Cabinet is the executive organ of government, implementing the laws of the country. It consists of the President, the Prime Minister and his deputy, as well as the Ministers. The current president is Hifipunye Pohamba and the presidents are elected in a national election every five years. The legislative organ of government is the Parliament and it’s divided in two chambers: National Council and the National Assembly. They make the laws of the country. The judiciary organs of government are the courts. The highest court of Namibia is the Supreme Court. There is also the High Court, and lower courts. They are responsible for judging and interpreting the laws.

The Constitution of Namibia provides that the Country is divided into regional and local units. In keeping with this constitutional requirement, thirteen administrative regions and many other Local Authorities have been established.

The most important economic activity in Namibia is the mineral extraction of uranium, copper, zinc, gold and, above all, diamonds. This last one is responsible for twenty per cent of Namibia’s Gross National Product. The country is only a medium producer, but they have the highest value of carat in the world.

Another important area for Namibia’s economy is fishery. Namibia’s marine resources are one of the richer in the world and it’s on Top 10 of international fishery industry. You can see how great it is by the value of their crop: about 600,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish are processed annu
ally. The most exploited species are found on the seabed, as meluza and monkfish, and pelagic species such as sardines, anchovies and carapau.

Namibia’s government has a great concern about the environment protection. Almost all their seacoast is a protected area, which increases ecotourism: a growing economic area in the country.

Namibia’s Gross National Product is above 12 billion USD with a growth rate about 5% in a year. The Gross National Product per capita is about 5,600 USD.

As you can see Namibia is a very rich country with their natural resources. But, unfortunately, like in several countries in the world, Namibia suffers with a high concentration of land and wealth in the hands of the white minority: Namibia is the country with the highest inequality in the world. Its Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality from zero to one, is 0.70.