One of the most important links between a person and the economy of a country is whether or not
that individual has a job. Employment is a way of making a living and a source of identity, yet formal
sector employment is a big problem, as Southern African countries experience low economic growth
rates which cannot meet the employment demands of citizens. According to the Afrobarometer
Survey (2008), Namibians consistently rank unemployment as one of their biggest problems. Women
face particular hurdles when competing for employment. These include discrimination, lack of work
experience and deficiencies in skill-specific training and education. In 2012 the Gender Gap Index of
the World Economic Forum ranked Namibia 41st of 135 countries. Namibia ranked 43rd on women’s
economic participation and opportunity, 31st on women’s educational attainment, 106th on health
and survival of women, and 49th on women‘s political empowerment (Hausmann et al., 2012).
Except for its ranking on women’s educational attainment this is Namibia‘s worst ranking since 2006,
when its position was 38th.
The Namibian government has committed itself to ensuring that economic policies are translated
into job growth. Its labour law aims at ‘regulating the conditions of employment of all employees
in Namibia without discrimination on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, or
social or economic status, in particular ensuring equality of opportunity and terms of employment,
maternity leave and job security for women’ (Republic of Namibia, 2007). The Affirmative Action
(Employment) Act of 1998 requires firms to set annual targets to achieve equal representation of
the different groups of employees (including women) in management. Thus Namibia’s legislation
supports women’s right to work in all spheres and to receive equal benefits, including equal pay for
equal work and maternity leave. In a sense this has been paying off. Thus according to Hausmann
(2008: 19), ‘Lesotho (26) and Namibia (29), which previously held 43rd and 38th positions, respectively,
move up in the rankings, taking the 2nd and 3rd places in the region. … In Namibia, labour force
participation of women rose from 47 per cent to 48 per cent and wage equality for similar work went
up by 0.10 points. Namibia also continues to be a strong performer on political empowerment.’
This study examines current labour market outcomes to gauge the likelihood of differential
opportunities for females and males. It examines key trends in female labour force participation,
employment and unemployment, mainly using the 2009/10 Namibia Household Income and
Expenditure Survey (NHIES) and reports, laws and policies available in the public domain. It also
uses information from individuals involved in employment issues in government, the private sector
and civil society. It is important to recognise that this analysis can only provide a partial assessment
of the extent of available opportunities.