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BIG Coalition Namibia
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NEW SEPTEMBER 2019 -
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In
the beginning of 2019 – ten years after the pilot project
evaluation – another series of interviews with residents of
Otjivero were conducted and compiled in a report. This
publication aims to give a voice to the people at the centre of
the BIG pilot project who experienced what changed and what
remained after the BIG ended and how lives look like ten years
later. The publication highlights the political developments
since the pilot project. Most importantly it provides a long
term analysis of the effects of a Basic Income on household and
community level from the perspective of the people concerned.
This publications wants to ensure that their voices and opinions
are heard.
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(PDF
Download or EPUB
download for eBook readers)
The
Basic Income Grant pilot project (2008-2009)
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proposal for a Basic Income Grant in Namibia was made in 2002 by
the Namibian Tax Consortium (NAMTAX), a government appointed
commission. The consortium made the proposal for a Basic Income
Grant in light of the high poverty levels and the unequal
distribution of income (income inequality) in Namibia. The
debate about a Basic Income Grant in Namibia is based on the
following proposal made in 2005: A monthly cash grant of
not less than N$100 (~13 US$) should be paid to every Namibian
as a right. Every Namibian would receive such a grant
until pension age from where onwards he/she is eligible to the
existing universal State Old Age Pension of N$500. The money of
people not in need or not in poverty would be recuperated
through adjustments in the tax system.
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Basic Income
Grant Coalition founding document, April 2005
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Spearheaded by
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia
(ELCRN), this proposal was taken up by the Namibian civil
society and has evolved into the BIG Coalition, which was formed
in April 2005. The Basic Income Grant campaign, which aims at
achieving the introduction of a Basic Income Grant in Namibia,
has to date been the biggest civil society project united in
fighting poverty. The Coalition consists of the Council of
Churches (CCN), the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW),
the umbrella body of the NGOs (NANGOF), the umbrella body of the
AIDS organisations (NANASO), the National Youth Service (NYC),
the Church Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), the Legal Assistance
Centre (LAC) and the Labour Resource and Research Institute
(LaRRI). From 2008 to 2009, the BIG Coalition has implemented
the first ever pilot project of a BIG in the village of Otjivero
in Namibia.
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On this website
you will find the background, history, research work and
documentation of the pilot and the discussion about it:
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Pilot Project
Publications and other material
Photos
Media Reports
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If
you would like to get in touch with the Secretariat of the
Coalition or if you are looking for information on the current
campaign work, please contact the Chairperson Rev. Wilfred
Diergaardt (wdiergaardt@elcrnam.org).
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©
2019, Claudia & Dirk Haarmann – BIG Coalition
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