Namibia’s justice heroes recognised at inaugural LAC awards

The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) hosted its inaugural #LegalChampion 2025 Award ceremony on 17 December in Windhoek to celebrate individuals and institutions whose contributions have significantly strengthened access to justice and human rights protection in Namibia."This award is about gratitude. It is about recognising that access to justice is never the work of one organisation alone," LAC director Toni Hancox said. "It is built through partnerships, solidarity and people who choose again and again to stand on the side of rights, dignity and fairness," she stressed.Hancox pointed out that justice is a shared responsibility and that partnerships are essential to making the law accessible to all. Access to justice, she said, is a “shared fight, and it starts with each of us”.She added that the new awards are geared towards working together. "If we believe in access to justice for all, then we must protect the institutions that make it possible.”“If we believe in Ubuntu, then we must invest locally, collectively, sustainably in justice."Justice heroes celebratedCronjé Inc. received the award for its sustained financial support that enabled the maintenance and updating of Namlex, Namibia's public legal information database, and the LAC legal information website, providing a vital national resource for laws, judgments and legal knowledge. "Your commitment shows what responsible, values-driven partnership looks like," Hancox said. Namibian teacher Gelda Waterboer was honoured for her child protection advocacy on social media, amplifying LAC's content and helping the organisation reach over 168 900 people locally and internationally with essential legal information for families and caregivers. Waterboer’s song promoting awareness of personal safety and boundaries among learners earlier this year went viral, drawing not only local but also global attention and sparking both praise and debate.In the video, the Grade 1 teacher at Rogate Primary School in Otjiwarongo teaches her young learners the lyrics: “These are my private parts, no one should touch them.”While some described the method as unconventional, others praised it as a groundbreaking approach to empowering children against abuse – including Namibia’s deputy education minister Dino Ballotti.Last week, Hancox noted: "Her work reminds us that advocacy today happens not only in courtrooms but also online, where stories travel far and fast."

Namibia’s justice heroes recognised at inaugural LAC awards

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

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Namibia’s justice heroes recognised at inaugural LAC awards

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

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