Beyond Labels: New Research Reveals What Namibians Think About LGBTI Rights
2026-10-19
How accepting are Namibians of LGBTI people, and does acceptance translate into support for equal rights? New research reveals a complex picture.
While Namibia is among the more tolerant countries in Africa, a significant gap remains between social acceptance and legal equality. According to the 2024 Afrobarometer survey, 51% of Namibians would accept a gay neighbour, yet only 26% support equal legal rights. These findings are explored in Public Opinion, Toleration and the Rights of LGBTI People in Namibia, a comprehensive study by researcher Christiaan Keulder, published by the NMT Media Foundation and the Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NDWA).
The research forms part of Beyond Labels, a joint initiative aimed at advancing informed public conversations about LGBTI lives and rights in Namibia. To make the findings more accessible, three accompanying briefing papers translate the research into practical insights. The first, Key Findings: What Namibians Think About the Rights of LGBTI People, unpacks the differences between tolerance and support for equality, explores how attitudes vary across different communities, and challenges assumptions about the influence of religion and politics on public opinion.
But understanding public attitudes is only the beginning. How should these findings inform advocacy? Strategy for the Movement: Where to Focus Advocacy for LGBTI Equality, and Where Not To examines where opportunities for change exist. The paper identifies a significant group of Namibians whose views are neither firmly supportive nor entirely opposed, and offers recommendations for engaging these audiences, building alliances and advancing conversations grounded in dignity, fairness and constitutional rights.
Public understanding is also shaped by the stories told in the media. Engaging the Media: The Story to Tell About LGBTI Rights in Namibia, the third briefing paper, provides practical guidance for spokespeople, communicators and allies on presenting the evidence, responding to difficult questions and communicating effectively with different audiences. Together, the study and three briefing papers offer an important resource for journalists, policymakers, civil society and anyone interested in a more informed discussion about equality in Namibia. Produced with support from The Other Foundation, the publications invite readers to look beyond assumptions and engage with what the evidence tells us about Namibian society.