The Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 under the Presidency of Namibia on 31 October 2000. Namibia adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) in 2019. The NAP was developed by a National Task Team, consisting of several ministries and UN technical advisors, to be implemented for the 2019-2024 period.
Namibia’s NAP builds on the country’s National Gender Policy, developed for the 2010-2020 period. The NAP is also seen as complementary to the other mechanisms and frameworks developed to advance women’s rights in Namibia. The overarching goal of the NAP is to create “a safe and peaceful Namibia where all women, men, girls and boys have equal rights and live without fear or want and in dignity” (p. 16).
Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 and joined the UN that same year. The most recent conflict in the country’s history is the Caprivi Conflict, which lasted from 1994 until 1999 and took place between the Namibian government and the Caprivi Liberation Army. The conflict displaced thousands of people, who took refuge in the neighboring Botswana.
In 2018, Namibia spent $452 million on military expenses. Namibia is a contributor to UN Peacekeeping Operations, with a total of 48 personnel serving in missions as of August 2019. Namibia signed, but did not ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which regulates the flow of weapons across international borders.