Lawyers, activists seek regulation of sex work industry

There are growing calls for Namibia to enact legislation that will regulate the sex work industry, reports The Namibian. Namibia is home to the Right to Work for Sex Workers Movement and the Right to Rehabilitation Movement, which both receive formal support from the Namibian government and address the range of human rights violations sex workers face, including police harassment, extortion and abuse, largely due to the criminalisation of their work. Now lawyers and activists are pushing for the laws to be changed. Human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe says that engaging in sexual activities for payment is actually not illegal in Namibia, but the conduct around sex work is criminalised under the Combating of Immoral Practices Act. Lawyer Kadhila Amoomo has called for regulatory laws in Namibia given how many young people engage in sex work due to financial hardship. Amoomo said a legal framework would also allow authorities to crack down on trafficking while ensuring that only consenting adults participate in the industry. Phil ya Nangoloh from human rights organisation NamRights has called for Parliament to pass laws providing personal safety, welfare and the right to dignity for sex workers. ‘To protect consenting adult workers, laws should focus on decriminalising sex work, regulating safe working conditions, and criminalising exploitation and coercion.’

Full report in The Namibian