Legal Assistance Centre — organization that receives concerns from refugee communities, including reports on food distribution and settlement conditions at Osire.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Legal Assistance Centre
Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre compiled the article explaining bigamy.
The Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre wrote that there is no need to rush legal entrenchment of UPU model
“The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) wrote in May that there is no need to rush the legal entrenchment of the UPU model.”
Petroleum bill approvedThe Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre advocate for indigenous land rights, mother-tongue education programmes, and legal protections against labour exploitation
“Organisations such as the Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa historically, alongside local legal clinics like the Legal Assistance Centre, advocate for indigenous land rights, mother-tongue education programmes, and legal protections against labour exploitation.”
On the San Question in NamibiaThe Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre supports speedy service of protection orders
“Yolande Engelbrecht, coordinator of the Legal Assistance Centre's Gender Research and Advocacy Project, says the organisation supports speedy service of protection orders.”
Fast-track protection orders could be abused experts warnNamibian Sun
Legal Assistance Centre received a memorandum from Osire refugee community alleging operation scope
“A memorandum dated 5 September from the Osire refugee community to the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) alleges that the operation was not limited to rejected applicants who had remained in Namibia beyond their 90-day departure periods.”
The pre-dawn police operation unsettles OsireThe Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre published an opinion arguing mandatory DNA testing of newborns violates privacy, dignity, and equality
“A recent opinion by Legal Assistance Centre researcher Dianne Hubbard, published by The Namibian, argues that mandatory DNA testing of newborns violates privacy, dignity, and equality.”
Testing DNA at Birth: Rights, Not ThreatsThe Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre has demonstrated research showing social stigma attaches to rape
“The deputy chief justice remarked that research conducted by the Legal Assistance Centre has demonstrated that social stigma attaches to rape.”
Omusati rapist gets extra time in prisonThe Namibian
Legal Assistance Centre commissioned the film 'Baxu and the Giants'
“'Baxu and the Giants' was commissioned by the Legal Assistance Centre and produced by Andrew Botelle with the aim of sensitising teenagers about rhino poaching in Namibia.”
‘Baxu and the Giants' Lands NetflixBigamy — intentionally entering a civil marriage while already lawfully married — is a common-law crime in Namibia inherited from Roman-Dutch law. A subsequent marriage is void from inception and may deprive the second spouse of inheritance and property claims, though parental rights toward children from such a union remain.
22 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Bigamy — intentionally entering a civil marriage while already lawfully married — is a common-law crime in Namibia inherited from Roman-Dutch law. A subsequent marriage is void from inception and may deprive the second spouse of inheritance and property claims, though parental rights toward children from such a union remain.
22 October 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Assembly has approved the petroleum (exploration and production) amendment bill with 50 votes, backed by Swapo and the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters, while opposition parties walked out in protest. The bill will proceed to committee stage for clause scrutiny before a third reading and presidential assent.
21 October 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation announced a weekly Ju/'Hoansi TV news bulletin, but the article questions why it took over 25 years after indigenous language broadcasts began in 2000, and notes that four other San languages—Hai||om, Kung, Khwe, and Naro—remain unserved. The author argues this is a constitutional right under Article 19, not a favour.
13 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Residents of Sande informal settlement in Lüderitz say communal toilets have become unusable, forcing them to use a nearby mountain instead. Local leaders have called on the town council to intervene, citing health and dignity concerns.
10 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Keetmanshoop and ||Kharas leaders say the Neckartal Dam project has not delivered expected agricultural opportunities and economic development, with the municipality citing insufficient water supply from existing sources to meet growing demand and exploring alternative water sources including groundwater studies.
6 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Families living and working near Rosh Pinah Zinc mine are struggling with lead exposure and health effects; one father's toddler tested at 17.8 micrograms per 100ml of blood, while the father himself tested at 18 micrograms per 100ml and reports memory problems and skin scarring he attributes to lead poisoning.
1 October 2026 · The Namibian →
The Combating of Domestic Violence Act 4 of 2003 provides legal protection against domestic violence in Namibia for victims of physical, sexual, emotional, economic and verbal abuse, intimidation, and threat. Protection orders have no effect until served on the respondent, and delays in service can allow abuse to escalate or result in death.
29 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Hyphen Hydrogen Energy says its 90% local employment target is a flexible goal subject to skills assessments, not a firm commitment. The company is conducting a skills audit to determine whether Namibia has enough skilled workers to meet the target.
24 September 2026 · The Namibian →
GBV experts and legal practitioners have warned that President Nandi-Ndaitwah's directive to serve protection orders within 24 hours must include safeguards against abuse, as interim orders can be granted without the respondent being heard and could be exploited for vengeance or ulterior purposes.
17 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Residents of the Osire refugee settlement say families are forced to consume maize meal distributed close to or past its expiry date, with limited quantities making it impossible to finish before spoilage. The community has raised concerns about irregular food distributions and shortages to the Legal Assistance Centre.
14 September 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Police and immigration officials conducted a pre-dawn operation at Osire Refugee Settlement on 17 August, moving through houses and checking residents' documents. At least 35 people were reportedly taken to Otjiwarongo, including those with pending applications and rejected asylum seekers; women and children were later returned, though some men remained in custody.
12 September 2026 · Namibian Sun →
An opinion by Tuhafeni Hailonga argues that voluntary DNA testing of newborns should be available to establish legal parentage and protect children's right to identity, countering privacy concerns by emphasizing the asymmetry between maternity and paternity certainty and the constitutional balance needed between parents' and children's rights.
17 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Medical experts and legal analysts warn that Namibia lacks laws regulating surrogacy, creating risks of exploitation and trafficking, following a fraudulent advertisement offering N$800,000 to surrogates. While South Africa and Botswana have experience with regulated or unregulated surrogacy arrangements, Namibia's legal framework remains silent on the matter, leaving parties with no legal protection and prompting calls for amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act.
31 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Institute for Public Policy Research warns that Namibia faces governance risks as it prepares for oil production, citing lack of transparency in petroleum licensing, insufficient beneficial ownership disclosure, and weak local content oversight as key areas needing reform before the expected investment decisions from TotalEnergies and Mopane projects. Addressing these challenges through the Access to Information Act and digital transparency could help Namibia avoid the "resource curse" while ensuring oil revenues benefit communities rather than political elites.
16 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Hai||om Association, formed in 2024, has filed a lawsuit claiming N$2.8 trillion in compensation for the expulsion of Hai||om San members from Etosha National Park and the Mangetti West farms, alleging German colonial genocide, subsequent human rights violations, and a forced eviction in 1954. The association seeks either ownership of the land, equivalent replacement land, or compensation equal to the estimated market value of the disputed territories.
6 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Judge Beatrix de Jager postponed delivering a judgement to protect her health, citing an unsustainable workload and workforce shortage that she described as "inhuman." Chief Justice Peter Shivute confirmed that judges are under immense pressure, with civil judges managing an average of 614 cases each in 2025, and called for urgent judicial appointments and support.
12 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Institute for Public Policy Research has called on Namibia to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a framework requiring disclosure of information on oil, gas and mineral resources throughout the value chain. The EITI was listed as a goal in Namibia's second Harambee Prosperity Plan but was never implemented, though compliance would address current gaps in contract transparency, beneficial ownership disclosure, and revenue reporting.
7 February 2026 · The Namibian →