Libertine Amathila
Encyclopedia
Libertine Appolus Amathila (born December 10, 1940) is a Namibia
n physician and politician. She has been the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia since March 2005.
Amathila was born in Fransfontein
, Kunene Region
. Under the SWAPO Nationhood Programme, she received a scholarship to study medicine in Poland
and graduated from the Warsaw Medical Academy in 1969, becoming Namibia's first female doctor. At SWAPO's 1969 Consultative Congress in Tanzania
, she became Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare on the SWAPO Central Committee and Director of the SWAPO Women's Council. She later worked in SWAPO refugee camps. Immediately prior to independence, she was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, and since independence in March 1990 she has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
. She was Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing from March 21, 1990 to September 12, 1996, at which point she became Minister of Health and Social Services, serving in that position until becoming Deputy Prime Minister on March 21, 2005.
Amathila received the Ongulumbashe Medal for Bravery and Long Service in 1987, and she was the 1991 recipient of the Nansen Refugee Award
. In September 1999, she was elected for a one-year term as Chairperson of the World Health Organization
's Regional Committee for Africa, and on May 15, 2000 she elected as the President of the 53rd Session of the World Health Assembly
.
She received the tenth highest number of votes—363—in the election to the Central Committee of SWAPO at the party's August 2002 congress.
Amathila is married to fellow politician Ben Amathila
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n physician and politician. She has been the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia since March 2005.
Amathila was born in Fransfontein
Fransfontein
Fransfontein is a small settlement in Kunene Region, Namibia. It is the hometown of Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia Libertine Amathila.-References:...
, Kunene Region
Kunene Region
Kunene is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia and home to the Himba ethnic group. Compared to the rest of Namibia, it is relatively underdeveloped...
. Under the SWAPO Nationhood Programme, she received a scholarship to study medicine in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and graduated from the Warsaw Medical Academy in 1969, becoming Namibia's first female doctor. At SWAPO's 1969 Consultative Congress in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, she became Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare on the SWAPO Central Committee and Director of the SWAPO Women's Council. She later worked in SWAPO refugee camps. Immediately prior to independence, she was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, and since independence in March 1990 she has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
. She was Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing from March 21, 1990 to September 12, 1996, at which point she became Minister of Health and Social Services, serving in that position until becoming Deputy Prime Minister on March 21, 2005.
Amathila received the Ongulumbashe Medal for Bravery and Long Service in 1987, and she was the 1991 recipient of the Nansen Refugee Award
Nansen Refugee Award
The Nansen Refugee Award formerly known as the Nansen Medal is given annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to individuals or groups in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the United Nations system...
. In September 1999, she was elected for a one-year term as Chairperson of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's Regional Committee for Africa, and on May 15, 2000 she elected as the President of the 53rd Session of the World Health Assembly
World Health Assembly
The World Health Assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states....
.
She received the tenth highest number of votes—363—in the election to the Central Committee of SWAPO at the party's August 2002 congress.
Amathila is married to fellow politician Ben Amathila
Ben Amathila
Ben Amathila is a semi-retired Namibian politician. Amathila served in the government of Namibia with SWAPO from independence in 1990 until his retirement from the National Assembly in April 2007...
.