By Zachary Shefman
The Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), the government department for which I work, is housed in a high-rise at the very core of Namibia’s capital, Windhoek. While the staff contingent is relatively small – beyond the Chairperson, her deputy and support staff, there are eight legal researchers – the workspace is accommodating: we all have our own spacious offices.
The legal researchers at the Commission are dynamic and quite young. Apart from one researcher, who just turned thirty, all legal researchers are in their twenties. They are thus the first generation to grow up in post-independence Namibia.
The LRDC’s work is wide-ranging. They convert government policy into law, review bills drafted by other government units and advise accordingly, conduct nation-wide consultations with the public to collect their input on forthcoming legislation, and produce research for the purposes of making recommendations for the reform of Namibian law.
I have been fortunate enough to have been immediately and deeply integrated into the Commission’s work. In my first week, I was provided with an open door to assist with the projects of any of the legal researchers, who amongst themselves, are responsible for the reform of the full ambit of Namibian law.
Some of my work involved scrutinizing bills before their review at the Cabinet Committee of Legislation (CCL) – an executive body responsible for examining bills before they are presented to Parliament. I would review, for instance, the interplay of a bill’s provisions to identify unintended consequences, and assess its contents for conflicts with the Namibian constitution, among other things.
Throughout the course of this work my warm, and welcoming colleagues would assist me in my efforts to familiarize myself with the Namibian legal framework. I, in turn, would present my own perspective on approaching the work.
Namibia is a relatively small country. It has a population of approximately 2.3 million people. As a result, it is both considerably easier as an individual to have a more acute impact on the public, and to acquire exposure to Namibian life and the key players of Namibia’s government. Within the first six weeks of my arrival of Namibia, I was able to meet and chat with the country’s Ombudsman, to pose questions in person regarding the legislative process to the Attorney-General, and to meet the Prime Minister herself in a meeting with her Office. Moreover, I was fortunate enough to travel across the country for the Commission’s consultations on a forthcoming bill. As a result, I would hear the concerns and pleas of the Namibian public – from the urban, business elite in the country’s capital to the concerns of representatives of disability rights groups in the country’s densely populated north.
Another benefit of Namibia’s relatively small size is how well-connected and experienced some of its key players tend to be. The Chairperson of the Commission, for instance, sits on the Cabinet Committee on Legislation. Some of my recommendations and criticisms of various bills have accordingly influenced discussion at the CCL.
My experience in Namibia has been immersive, eye-opening and all around life-changing. I have learned immensely about a new legal system and culture. I have had deep and intimate exposure to the most inner-workings of Namibian government. I have had the opportunity to contribute to the reform of Namibian domestic policy. Most important of all, however, I have found elements that I will look for in a future career in law.