R 121649Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0339
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000052 
 
 
FOR G/TIP RACHEL YOUSEY, AF/RSA LINDA MUNCY, G AC BLANK, 
INL, DRL, PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP ELAB KCRM KFRD KWMN PGOV PHUM PREF WA
SUBJECT: 2009 ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT ON 
NAMIBIA 
 
REF: A. 08 STATE 132759 
     ¶B. WINDHOEK 11 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ENTIRE TEXT 
 
 ¶1. (U) Response to 23 A: The Government of Namibia (GRN) 
does not gather statistics on trafficking in persons (TIP). 
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MEGCW) 
keeps statistics on the number of women who are victims of 
domestic violence. The Women and Child Protection Unit of the 
police investigates possible trafficking cases, but does not 
keep statistics on trafficking. The Ministry of Labour and 
Social Welfare tracks cases of the worst forms of child 
labor.  There are plans to carry out a baseline study in 2009 
to assess the scope of the TIP problem in Namibia.  This 
project, which the MEGCW requested, will be funded by USAID's 
Women in Development's Anti-trafficking Technical Assistance 
Task Order and USAID's Africa Bureau and will be carried out 
in partnership with the MGECW. 
 
¶2. (U) Response to 23 B: Namibia is a country of transit for 
internationally trafficked men, women, and children, and it 
appears to be a country of origin and destination as well. 
There is primarily anecdotal evidence that trafficking takes 
place within Namibia's borders (there are no areas of the 
country not under the GRN's control).  However, there are no 
statistics available on either domestic or international 
trafficking with regards to Namibia.  There have been 
instances of children being trafficked from Angola and Zambia 
to work in Namibia. There are reports of a labor trafficking 
syndicate from West Africa that transits through Namibia. In 
the Namibian sex industry, some of the workers are believed 
to be trafficked. Per Ref B, the Ministry of Labour reports 
that three cases of the worst forms of child labor took place 
in Namibia (one in July 2008 in the agricultural sector in 
which a Namibian child died from injuries he sustained 
carrying heavy loads; one in August 2008 in which several 
Angolan children ages ten to 13 were herding cattle; and the 
third in October 2007 in which Zambian children were found in 
the Caprivi region as part of a ring of domestic child 
laborers). 
 
¶3. Response to 23 C: According to government officials, 
victims of TIP may be promised wages that they never receive. 
They may be forced to work long hours, carrying out hazardous 
tasks. Victims may be beaten or raped by their traffickers or 
by third parties. 
 
¶4. Response to 23 D: Namibia's high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate 
has increased the number of orphans and vulnerable children, 
who are at risk of being exploited. 
 
¶5. Response to 23 E: An independent researcher claims that 
West Africans are being transited through Namibia to work  in 
Angola under false pretenses. (The theory is that passports 
and work permits are easier to obtain in Namibia than in 
Angola, and Namibian papers allow one to work in Angola.) 
Police corroborate this labor syndicate's existence. Business 
owners are trafficking sex workers either to work in small 
local bars known as "shabeens" or in ships in the harbor 
along the west coast. A high-profile case in December in 
which a Somali woman and her children were arrested at 
Namibia's international airport with stolen passports, police 
claim is most likely a smuggling as opposed to a TIP case. In 
some cases in which children are engaged in herding, domestic 
or agricultural labor, parents unwittingly may have sold 
their children into these conditions. 
 
¶6. Response to 24 A: The GRN does acknowledge that 
trafficking is a problem. The MGECW has worked closely with 
us in designing the scope of work for the baseline study 
described in paragraph 1. 
 
¶7. Response to 24 B: The MGECW, the Ministry of Home Affairs 
and Immigration, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, 
and the Ministry of Safety and Security are involved in the 
GRN's anti-trafficking efforts. No particular ministry acts 
as lead agency, although the MGECW will take the lead on the 
2009 TIP baseline study. Similarly, the Ministry of Labour 
has been the lead agency on Namibia's National Child Labour 
Project, an ongoing study examining work activities that 
negatively affect a child's development. It produced research 
reports, a discussion document, and an action plan in 2008 as 
part of the ILO's International Program on the Elimination of 
Child Labor (IPEC). There have been no large-scale 
government-led anti-trafficking campaigns. However, in 2008, 
the MGECW printed and distributed-- via its gender liaison 
officers in each of Namibia's 13 regions-- 1000 copies of a 
brochure explaining human trafficking. The government also 
devotes resources to public campaigns or labor rights 
(including brochures, which explain the new labor law and 
promote child labor awareness), domestic violence and sexual 
abuse.  In January 2008, the government hosted a national 
conference on child labor, which focused significantly on 
TIP, including child sex workers. 
 
¶8. Response to 24 C: The government's ability to collect and 
quantify TIP information is limited due to a lack of computer 
systems, appropriate software, Internet access, digital 
records, and digital cameras and recorders-- particularly in 
the police force. The Women and Child Protection Unit claims 
that there are not enough shelters in the country to which 
victims of violence, including TIP, can be referred, and 
similarly there are not enough hospital facilities in which 
victims can receive appropriate care by physicians or 
counselors trained in assisting trauma victims. 
 
¶9. Response to 24 D: The government does not keep statistics 
on trafficking. However, the GRN does collect crime data and 
statistics on trafficking-related offenses, such as the worst 
forms of child labor and rape. It monitors 
immigration-related data that could indicate instances of 
TIP.  The country's human rights and legal organizations and 
the media monitor the issue, but generally do not keep TIP 
statistics.  The GRN does not monitor its anti-trafficking 
efforts. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Response to 25 A, B, C, and D: The Prevention of 
Organized Crime Act (POCA) of 2004 (which is expected to be 
implemented in April 2009) explicitly criminalizes TIP as 
well as human smuggling. With this legislation, those who 
participate in or aid and abet TIP face fines of up to 
N$1,000,000 (USD 100,000) or jail terms of up to 50 years. 
Additionally, those who participate in or aid and abet 
migrant smuggling face fines up to N$500,000 (US $50,000) or 
imprisonment of up to 25 years. The law does not 
differentiate between trafficking for sexual exploitation and 
trafficking for non-sexual purposes. Because the law does not 
cover the "three Ps," the Ministry of Justice is considering 
redrafting legislation so that it more comprehensively 
addresses TIP. The Combating Rape Act prescribes up to 15 
years imprisonment for first-time offenders and up to 45 
years for repeat offenders, which is less than the 50 years 
prescribed by the POCA. Namibia's labor law prohibits forced 
labor and those convicted of forced labor are liable for 
fines up to N$20,000 (USD 2,000) or imprisonment of up to 
four years or both. 
 
¶11. Response to 25 C continued: Namibia has progressive labor 
laws, including laws prohibiting the worst forms of child 
labor. Section 3 of the 2007 Labour Act, which was signed 
into law during the reporting period, maintains the minimum 
working age at 14 years. It also states that children between 
the ages of 14-18 may not be employed where: work takes place 
between the hours of 20:00-07:00; work is done underground or 
in a mine; construction or demolition takes place; goods are 
manufactured; electricity is generated, transformed, or 
distributed; machinery is installed or dismantled; and any 
work-related activities take place that may jeopardize a 
child's health, safety, or physical, mental, spiritual, 
moral, or social development. Under the new labor act, 
persons found guilty of employing children face a maximum 
fine of up to N$20,000 (USD 2,000) and/or up to four years 
imprisonment. In addition, Section 6 of the Labour Act 
stipulates the number of hours employees are allowed to work, 
(which vary depending on the nature of the job) as well as 
meal intervals (one hour meal interval for every five hours 
of continuous work).  Section 7 dictates the number of 
workplace health and safety representatives  (for 11-100 
employees, at least one health and safety representative may 
be elected by the employees). Section 13 states that a health 
and safety commission must be established at a work place 
with more than 100 employees. Section 17 dictates the number 
of annual leave days employers must grant employees (e.g. an 
employee who works five days a week is entitled to at least 
20 days of annual leave). And Section 19 prescribes minimum 
conditions of employment for night work, work on Sundays, and 
work during public holidays. 
 
¶12. Response to 25 E: The GRN did not prosecute any cases 
against human trafficking offenders during the reporting 
period. In the three child labor cases discussed in paragraph 
2, the offenders were issued compliance orders because the 
2007 Labour Act, which prescribes stiffer penalties, had not 
yet been implemented. The GRN recorded no cases of forced 
adult labor during the reporting period. 
 
¶13. Response to 25 F: The government continues to pursue its 
gender mainstreaming policy to "integrate gender equality and 
gender sensitivity in all government actions and programs." 
Through the Women and Child Protection Unit within the police 
force, the government provides specialized training for 
police officials and social workers from the Ministry of 
Health in providing services to victims of sexual abuse and 
domestic violence. A limited number of government officials 
have undertaken anti-TIP training. 
 
¶14. Response to 25 G: The GRN works with the countries in the 
Southern African Development Community (SADC) to develop and 
conform legislation in the region, particularly with respect 
to border and immigration issues and their relationship to 
TIP. There were no cooperative international investigations 
on TIP during the reporting period. 
 
¶15. Response to 25 H: Namibia's Extradition Act of 1996 (Act 
11 of 1996) provides for extradition to specified countries, 
such as those in the SADC region and Commonwealth, as well as 
other countries with which Namibia has extradition 
agreements. Although TIP and smuggling are considered 
extraditable offenses in Namibia, there were no extraditions 
related to TIP or smuggling during the reporting period. 
 
¶16. Response to 25 J: There was no evidence presented during 
the reporting period of government officials involved in TIP. 
 
¶17. Response to 25 K: Prostitution is not criminalized, but 
making a living from prostitution (such as pimping or 
solicitation) is illegal. The age of sexual consent in 
Namibia is 16. There are laws criminalizing sexual 
exploitation, child pornography, and child prostitution. The 
GRN enforces these laws, particularly in instances of child 
and adult rape. 
 
¶18. Response to 25 L: No Namibian peacekeepers were 
investigated or sentenced for TIP-related offenses during the 
reporting period. 
 
¶19. Response to 26 A and B: The Women and Child Protection 
Unit of the police (there are 15 such units around the 
country) is the first point of contact for women and children 
who are victims of violence. The police are responsible for 
finding temporary shelter for victims as well as medical 
assistance. MGECW provides social workers to the police. The 
Women and Child Protection Unit has designated examination 
rooms in most hospitals for use by victims and physicians, 
who have been trained to deal with trauma victims. There are 
five shelters in Namibia; all are run by civil society 
organizations. Police contend that shelters are often full 
and cannot accommodate all victims of gender-based violence. 
If a child trafficking victim is discovered, the police or 
inspectors from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare 
will work to return the child to his/her family. 
 
¶20. Response to 26 C: There are several NGOs working on 
TIP-related issues. The PEACE Center offers counseling to 
victims of trauma and has a referral agreement with the Women 
and Child Protection Unit of the police. However, it has 
never had a TIP victim as a client. The Council of Churches 
in Namibia has worked with sex workers. Victims also may be 
referred to the Legal Assistance Center for pro-bono legal 
counseling. Generally these NGOs do not receive government 
financial assistance. 
 
¶21. Response to 26 D: During the reporting period, the 
possible Somali TIP victim was assisted by the Legal 
Assistance Center. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare 
plans to reassess the welfare of the Angolan children who 
were discovered herding cattle. The domestic child laborers 
from Zambia were repatriated. 
 
¶22. Response to 26 E: There is no long-term shelter available 
for victims, including those assisting with the investigation 
of a crime. Due to serious resource constraints, the GRN has 
difficulty providing financial assistance to victims (i.e. 
those who are no longer working). GRN also has difficulty 
compensating victims. 
 
¶23. Response to 26 F: The Women and Child Protection Unit of 
the police have an informal referral system in place with the 
NGOs that provide shelter or counseling to victims. 
 
¶24. Response to 26 G: Statistics are not kept on TIP victims, 
and for the most part, victims of violence who are 
intercepted by the police, the MGECW, the Ministry of Home 
Affairs, or the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare do not 
identify themselves as victims of TIP. In addition to the 
cases known to the government (described in paragraph 2), an 
independent researcher completed a study in which she 
interviewed 230 prostitutes.  Of these, 68 claimed to have 
been trafficked. The researcher claims that 23 of these 
trafficking cases took place during the last year. 
 
¶25. Response to 26 H: The Women and Child Protection Unit of 
the police proactively seek to identify victims of 
trafficking. 
 
¶26. Response to 26 I: It is possible that victims could be 
jailed or prosecuted for violating laws related to 
immigration and prostitution. The GRN does not have any 
record of this taking place during the reporting period. 
 
¶27. Response to 26 J: The GRN does encourage victims to 
assist in the investigation and prosecution of criminals in 
trafficking and gender violence cases. There were no 
trafficking related investigations during the reporting 
period. 
 
¶28. Response to 26 K: The Women and Child Protection Unit of 
the police and the MGECW's gender liaison officers (there is 
one in each of Namibia's 13 regions) have undergone training 
to identify victims of trafficking. The government does not 
provide specific training on TIP to those working in its 
embassies and consulates, but encourages Namibian diplomats 
to maintain relations with NGOs that follow trafficking 
issues. There were no victims of trafficking assisted by 
Namibia's embassies or consulates during the reporting period. 
 
¶29. Response to 26 L: There were no reported instances of 
repatriated TIP victims during the reporting period. 
 
¶30. Response to 26 M: The ILO-supported program, Towards the 
Elimination of the worst forms of Child Labor (TECL) deals 
with several TIP-related issues. UNICEF is among the 
international organizations with policies in place to assist 
TIP victims. In the past, the U.S. Embassy has conducted 
training or provided training materials to government 
officials working on TIP-related issues. Namibia hosted the 
ninth annual INTERPOL working group meeting on TIP in 
September 2008. 
 
¶31. Response to 27 A: Please see paragraph 7. In addition, 
there is widespread agreement amongst government officials 
and civil society that Namibia needs a country-wide public 
awareness campaign on TIP. Many victims do not understand the 
phenomenon and therefore do not identify themselves as 
victims or seek assistance. Public awareness printed 
materials and billboards are especially needed at border 
areas. 
 
¶32. Response to 27 B: The GRN monitors immigration and 
emigration patterns for evidence of TIP. 
 
¶33. Response to 27 C: There is no multi-ministerial task 
force working on TIP. 
 
¶34. Response to 27 D: The government does not have a national 
plan of action on TIP. The TIP baseline study mentioned in 
paragraph 1 is expected to lead to such a plan. 
 
¶35. Response to 27 E: There were no actions to reduce the 
demand for commercial sex taken during the reporting period. 
There were no known cases of foreign nationals engaging in 
sex tourism in Namibia nor of Namibians engaging in sex 
tourism abroad. 
 
¶36. Response to 27 F: There were no actions to reduce 
participation in international sex tourism taken during the 
reporting period. 
 
¶37. Poloff spent approximately 18 hours on this report. DCM 
spent 2 and Ambassador 2. Poloff Emily Plumb is POC for TIP. 
(Telephone 264-61-295-8500; fax 264-61-295-8603). 
 
MATHIEU