Emma Kantema

Also known as: gender minister · Kantema · Gender equality and child welfare minister Emma Kantema · Minister of gender equality and child welfare · Minister Kantema · Minister of gender equality and child welfare Emma Kantema · gender equality and child welfare minister

Emma Kantema — Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, leading efforts on GBV survivor support, child protection, and women's empowerment in Namibia.

Society

Minister hails women's advances in Namibian justice sector

The News

Gender Equality Minister Emma Kantema has praised the growing presence of women in Namibia's judiciary, noting recent milestones including the appointment of the first permanent woman judge to the Supreme Court and increased representation of women judges and magistrates. She acknowledged these achievements as evidence of women's capacity to lead at the highest levels while also flagging safety concerns for female judicial officers, referencing the 2025 death of prosecutor Justine Shiweda.

8 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 8 March

Minister hails women's advances in Namibian justice sector
Gender Equality Minister Emma Kantema has praised the growing presence of women in Namibia's judiciary, noting recent milestones including the appointment of the first permanent woman judge to the Supreme Court and increased representation of women judges and magistrates. She acknowledged these achievements as evidence of women's capacity to lead at the highest levels while also flagging safety concerns for female judicial officers, referencing the 2025 death of prosecutor Justine Shiweda.
8 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 6 March

Hardap school receives N$1.4 million in new classrooms
WJD Cloete Combined School in Rietoog was inaugurated with four new classrooms and storage facilities worth N$1.4 million, made possible through a partnership between Children in the Wilderness and IXM Metals. The infrastructure aims to improve access to education in the rural Hardap region and reduce the need for pupils to travel long distances to neighbouring towns.
6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 5 March

Namibia launches parenting handbook addressing digital age challenges
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and Ministry of Health and Social Services have launched a National Parenting and Caregiver Handbook that emphasises community-based child-rearing and provides resources for parents navigating 21st century parenting challenges, including technology and cyberbullying. The handbook's seven modules are designed to help parents maintain emotional stability and promote the African principle that "strong communities build strong children."
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 24 February

Gender ministry trains 1,485 women entrepreneurs through UN programme
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has empowered 1,485 women with entrepreneurial skills through the EntreprenHER programme, funded by UN Women, which provides digital and financial literacy training to support women micro-entrepreneurs. The programme, now in its third phase across Namibia, South Africa and Botswana, has supported over 2,400 women-owned micro-enterprises, with the ministry now exploring partnerships to advance to phase four.
24 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 20 February

Gender ministry trains 1,485 women entrepreneurs through EntreprenHER
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has empowered 1,485 women in entrepreneurial skills via the EntreprenHER programme, which provides digital and financial literacy training and market access support. The UN-funded initiative, now in phase 3, has supported over 2,400 micro-enterprises across Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana, with the ministry exploring partnerships for further expansion.
20 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 3 February

Workshop addresses environmental stewardship, gender in disaster resilience
Government stakeholders held an inter-stakeholder engagement workshop in Windhoek focused on establishing environmental stewardship and embedding gender mainstreaming across resilience efforts. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare called for science-based approaches and resilience education, while ministers highlighted the need for climate-smart infrastructure, differentiated support for women and vulnerable groups, and integrated policy responses to escalating climate risks.
3 February 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 29 January

Gender ministry chief urges staff to deliver faster service
Gender Equality and Child Welfare Minister Emma Kantema called on staff to embrace a "business unusual" approach focused on decisive action, accountability and measurable results in service delivery. She stressed that public service is about serving citizens—not personal comfort—and urged staff to address gender-based violence, child protection and other challenges through problem-solving and follow-up rather than passing citizens between offices.
29 January 2026 · New Era →