WINDHOEK - All People’s Party (APP) president, Ignatius Shixwamweni, says the party’s position is to champion for gender equality, the rights of people with disabilities and the LGBTIQ community.
LGBT is an initialism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

As part of his election promises, Shixwameni noted human rights and the plight of the LGBTIQ community have been important for the APP since its beginning. 
The “guiding principles” of the APP emphasise the importance of human rights.

“They are valid for inhabitants without discrimination on the basis of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or national or ethnic origin,” he stated.
The party, thus, proposes the introduction of laws to combat hate crimes against people based on their race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation or albinism.

He also called for the finalisation of the proposed parliamentary legislation aimed at preventing and combating hate crimes and prosecution of persons who commit the offenses. 
The legislation will deal with hate crimes against persons based on their race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation or albinism. 

It also aims at creating safe and non-discriminatory environments and ensuring the government makes opportunities for dialogues on identities and sexuality issues.  
Equally, it is intended to ensure the LGBTI community is protected and accorded the right to exist equally as members of society without discrimination. 

Furthermore, the legislation aims to ensure protection at places such as schools, public facilities, tertiary institutions, workplaces against discriminatory and harmful practices. 
He maintained the legislation seeks to expedite the decriminalisation process on laws criminalising individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation.

“We finally believe that together we can succeed and prosper, making our country a model modern state on the African continent and the world over. Let us take one another’s hands and march forward to victory. We believe we can do it together with our Namibian way by creating a fair, just and prosperous society with equal opportunities for all,” Shixwameni remarked.