Libertina Amathila

Libertina Amathila (center; 2005)

Libertina Inaaviposa Amathila (* 10. December 1940 in Fransfontein , South West Africa , now Namibia ) is a Namibian politician of SWAPO . She was Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister from March 2005 to March 2010 and previously held various ministerial posts.

Amathila is married to the politician and former Minister of Commerce, Industry and Communications, Ben Amathila .

Education and career

Amathila attended the Lutheran Mission School in Fransfontein from 1946 to 1955 and then the primary school in Otjiwarongo . She attended high schools in Okahandja and Cape Town ( South Africa ).

In 1962 Amathila went into exile in Poland . Here she studied medicine from 1963 to 1969 at the invitation of the Polish government . She was the first African woman to successfully complete her medical degree in Poland. Between 1971 and 1972 Amathila studied nutritional science in London before starting work as a doctor in Sweden in 1975 while studying pediatrics . She interrupted her studies to help refugees from the South African apartheid system in Namibia, Zambia and South Africa .

In 1983 Amathila received a diploma in epidemiology from the University of Bamako ( Mali ). She received a Certificate in Continuing Education from the University of South Africa in 1992 and Columbia University the following year .

Political career

From 1974 to 1989 Amathila was the representative of SWAPO at the World Health Organization . From 1999–2000 Amathila was Chair of the World Health Organization in Africa and President of the World Health Council the following year .

On March 21, 1990, Amathila became the regional minister of Namibia, before taking over the office of health and social affairs minister in 1996 . From 2006 to 2010 she was the country's deputy prime minister .

Awards and honors

In 1987 she received the " Omugulu-gOmbashe Medal for Bravery and Long Service ", the highest award from SWAPO. In 1991 she received the South African Woman of the Year Award as well as the Nansen Refugee Prize. In addition, streets in numerous cities in Namibia have been named after Libertina Amathila.

Literary works

• Libertina Amathila: Making a Difference , University of Namibia Press, Windhoek 2013, ISBN 978-99916-870-8-7 .

Web links

• Entry about Libertina Amathila in the personal database of the Namibia Institute for Democracy ( Memento from June 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
• Prime Minister's Office ( February 9, 2010 memento on the Internet Archive )