NMT Media Foundation urges bold action on Media Freedom and Human Rights in Namibia’s UN Review
2025-10-10
The NMT Media Foundation has submitted a civil-society report to the 52nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The submission assesses Namibia’s progress since the 2021 review and highlights areas requiring urgent attention to safeguard freedom of expression, access to information, and the safety of journalists. It also builds on the country’s accepted UPR recommendations and aligns with regional human-rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the ACHPR Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa (2019).
The report commends Namibia’s advances—such as the enactment of the Access to Information Act, 2022—but identifies persistent implementation gaps, weak institutional independence, and growing threats to media sustainability. It calls for the operationalisation of key legislation, transparent state advertising practices, stronger data-protection safeguards, and the urgent adoption of the Prohibition of Unfair Discrimination, Harassment and Hate Speech Bill. The findings underscore the need for a national framework to ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists, in accordance with the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity (UNESCO, 2012).
The Foundation’s recommendations also address gender equality, youth digital inclusion, and the responsible use of technology. By advancing these reforms, Namibia can consolidate its democratic gains and meet its international commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 16. The full report, available below, represents a collective civil-society effort to ensure that human-rights progress in Namibia is both measurable and inclusive.
Download the full report here