Polygamy in Namibia

While polygamous marriages are not legally recognized under the civil marriage laws of Namibia, a bill was successfully passed in 2003, based on the model in South Africa,^[1] which recognizes polygamous unions under customary law; affording a generous amount of benefits to polygamous unions, ranging from inheritance rights to child custody. It has been estimated that nearly one in seven women in Namibia live in polygamous relationships.^[2]

Since May 2009, a debate concerning legalizing civil polygamous marriages has been ongoing throughout the parliament in Namibia. The bill has faced both praise and fierce opposition.^[3] There have also been past attempts to outlaw polygamous marriages (including under customary law), which have received about an equal reaction.^[4] A proposed bill that would have provided pension benefits to the spouses of a deceased polygamous president was voted down in 2004.^[5]

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