President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has expressed concern over the declining number of male lawyers in Namibia.
She raised the issue during a courtesy visit by the Chief Justice of South Africa, Mandisa Maya. Dr. Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that while more women are entering the legal profession, many male graduates are opting for legal advisory roles rather than courtroom practice.
"In the last admission of lawyers, there were only four men among the new graduates. The number of male lawyers in Namibia is declining, and legal firms are increasingly seeing more female candidates than male. Those who do graduate often choose to work as legal advisors instead of qualifying to appear in court," the President said.
She called for collaborative efforts between Namibia and South Africa to encourage young men to pursue careers in the legal fraternity.
"Namibia and South Africa enjoy strong bilateral relations at the executive level. It would be beneficial if all three branches of state could find ways to collaborate, which is why I welcomed Chief Justice Maya’s visit," she added.
Ladyship Maya, who is in Namibia at the invitation of Chief Justice Peter Shivute, discussed areas of cooperation between the two justice systems. During her visit, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration within the legal profession.
Reflecting on global trends, President Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia can learn from experiences elsewhere, where lack of attention to male participation in the legal field has had serious consequences.
She emphasized the importance of encouraging young men to join the profession.
"We will work together with the Chief Justice and other stakeholders to find ways to motivate young men and boys to enter the legal field and ensure success within the profession," she said.
The President also highlighted the importance of learning from Chief Justice Maya’s experience as a woman who has reached the highest levels of the judiciary, noting that her interactive lecture provided valuable lessons for achieving gender balance in Namibia’s legal sector.