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July 2026
The Namibian
Lilian Lutuhezicalled on the gender ministry to ensurevulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during verification
Source
“Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality Lilian Lutuhezi has called on the gender ministry to ensure vulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during the verification process.”
Lilian Lutuhezisaidsuspension of grant payments will cause unnecessary hardship to many
Source
“Lutuhezi on Monday said while verification is necessary to protect the integrity of the country's social protection system, the suspension of grant payments before the verification process is completed will cause unnecessary hardship to many.”
IPC member of parliament Lilian Lutuhezisought clarity onhow many children are living on the streets and government solutions
Source
“The minister was responding to questions raised by IPC member of parliament Lilian Lutuhezi, who sought clarity on how many children are living on the streets, where they sleep, what protection measures are in place and what the government is doing to provide sustainable solutions.”
Member of parliament Lilian Lutuhezisaiddifferent factors contribute to failure, including incomplete courses and absences
Source
“"There are different factors that contribute to failure, including those who did not complete the course and those who did not show up for the exams," member of parliament Lilian Lutuhezi said during the presentation.”
Lilian Lutuhezicalled formeasures to stop exploitation of children as labourers
Source
“Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) parliamentarian Lilian Lutuhezi has called for measures to stop the exploitation of children as labourers on farms, at villages, and in homes as domestic workers or babysitters.”
Lilian LutuhezisaidNamibia has only eight government-operated shelters, with six regions having none
Source
“Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Lilian Lutuhezi said Namibia has only eight government-operated shelters, with six regions having none.”
The Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality has called on the gender ministry to ensure vulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during verification, after the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare set a July end-of-month deadline for verification or risk losing payments. Lutuhezi said suspension of grant payments before verification is completed will cause unnecessary hardship and asked what measures would protect beneficiaries unable to meet the deadline due to illness, disability, old age or lack of transport.
The Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality has called on the gender ministry to ensure vulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during verification, after the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare set a July end-of-month deadline for verification or risk losing payments. Lutuhezi said suspension of grant payments before verification is completed will cause unnecessary hardship and asked what measures would protect beneficiaries unable to meet the deadline due to illness, disability, old age or lack of transport.
The welfare ministry has acknowledged mounting pressure on social workers due to staff shortages and case complexity, with Minister Emma Kantema noting that repeated exposure to severe cases involving child abuse, trafficking and family disputes leads to secondary trauma and burnout. The ministry has implemented wellness programmes, supportive supervision and debriefing sessions to support workers' mental health.
Namibia's welfare ministry has warned that social workers face mounting pressure and unsustainable workloads due to staff shortages and the increasing complexity of cases involving child abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking and family disputes. Minister Emma Kantema told Parliament that social workers are exposed to secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and occupational burnout, and the ministry has implemented wellness programmes and supportive supervision to support their mental well-being.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare identified 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023 and plans to conduct a regional study this year to determine actual numbers and social and economic factors driving children to street life. The Khomas region recorded the highest number of street-connected children.
More than 2 600 nursing and midwifery graduates have failed the national exam required to practise in Namibia since the test became compulsory in January 2025, raising concerns about the quality of nursing training. The Health Professions Councils of Namibia reported that 2 743 of 5 427 graduates evaluated passed, while 2 683 failed, including those who did not sit for the exam.
Swapo member of parliament and former Otjozondjupa governor James Uerikua died in a vehicle accident in Otjozondjupa on Friday. Fellow lawmakers described him as a skilled debater and intellectually gifted parliamentarian, mourning his loss to the National Assembly and the country.
IPC parliamentarian Lilian Lutuhezi has called for measures to stop the exploitation of children as labourers on farms, in villages, and as domestic workers, citing a recent case of an Angolan girl arrested from illegal employment. She said the practice violates the Child Care and Protection Act of 2015 and Namibia's international commitments to protect children from exploitation.
An Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian criticised the recently tabled budget for not addressing the shortage of gender-based violence shelters, noting that Namibia has only eight government-operated shelters with six regions having none. She also highlighted severe shortages in social workers, with Namibia having one social worker for every 17,923 children compared to the international standard of one per 5,000 children.
Minister Ericah Shafudah clarified that N$65 million in social grant funds allegedly missing from NamPost between 2009 and 2018 never went missing, but was unclaimed payments held pending reconciliation between NamPost and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. After reconciliation, the funds amounted to N$93 million and were deposited into a statutory fund, with N$58 million remaining unclaimed as of October 2025.
An IPC shadow minister questioned the health minister in parliament about reports that nearly 80% of miscarriages at Katima Mulilo State Hospital may be induced abortions, citing concerns about young women using dangerous methods to terminate pregnancies and limited access to family planning services.
A 15-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality and Social Services commenced visits to capital projects initiated by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Otjozondjupa region. The committee is conducting oversight and evaluation of the projects, following reports from the regional governor that many health infrastructure projects in the region remain dormant, incomplete, or non-functional despite multi-year budgeting.