Staff Reporter
SWAPO Member of Parliament Willem Amutenya has questioned the effectiveness of the Affirmative Action policy implementation, adding that a directive on gender equality issued by the government in 2001 has negatively impacted men getting employed.
Amutenya said that the government issued a directive on 26 November 2001 to enforce the application of the Affirmative Action Act of 1998, which pertains to the recruitment process in the public service to ensure a balanced structure in public service, particularly in terms of gender equality.
He added that the policy favoured a female candidate who may be the third best, should there be a gender gap in the employment structure.
Amutenya added that, according to the 2023 Namibia Population and Housing Labour Statistics, out of 58,541 employed professionals in Namibia, over 40,000 are female and 28,000 are male. Furthermore, from 28,000 clerical support workers, only about 9,000 are male.
Amutenya said that these statistics show a growing imbalance and that the continued application of the circular prejudices males who are qualified but become sidelined, resulting in mental distress as well as career stagnation.
