Same Sex Marriage in Namibia

On June 21st, 2024, a Namibian High Court declared two colonial-era laws unconstitutional that criminalized same-sex acts between men. This marks a significant victory for the LGBTQ community in Namibia.

Key Points

The case was brought by Namibian activist Friedel Dausab with the support of British-based non-governmental organisation Human Dignity Trust.
Namibia inherited the laws when it gained independence from South Africa in 1990, though same-sex acts between men were initially criminalised under colonial rule.
Sine 2006 South Africa has decriminalised same-sex sexual activity and is the only country on the African continent to allow LGBTQ couples to adopt children, marry and enter civil unions.
In 2023, Uganda enacted one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ laws, which included the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”, despite widespread condemnations from the West.
In February 2024, Ghana's parliament passed a Bill, which toughens criminal penalties for consensual same-sex relations, and criminalizes the actions of individuals and organizations that defend the rights of LGBT people.

Same Sex Laws in African Countries

Out of the 54 African states, only 22 of them have legalized homosexuality.
In some countries it is punishable by imprisonment
It is punishable by death in four — Mauritania, Nigeria (in states where sharia law is applied), Somalia, and South Sudan.