Also known as: MGECW
Government ministry managing social grants verification, child welfare, and gender-based violence services, recently suspending over 15,000 old-age grants pending identity verification.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare froze pension grants for more than 400 beneficiaries in Hardap due to verification exercise
“Most of the pensioners in the Hardap region whose monthly grants were frozen due to a verification exercise can expect to receive their funds during the July payment cycle.”
Hardap pensioners await grant lifelineThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare confirmed 15,825 grants were suspended due to unverified names
“On Wednesday, in a joint notice between the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and the finance ministry, the ministries confirmed that 15 825 grants were suspended, citing unverified names in the National Population Registry System.”
System says no to hungry pensionersThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is currently caring for a six-year-old boy who was reported missing
“A six-year-old boy who was reported missing on Wednesday has been found and is currently in the care of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.”
Missing boy foundThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare announced suspension of 15,825 old-age pension beneficiaries in joint statement
“The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and the Ministry of Finance announced this in a joint statement issued on Wednesday.”
Govt suspends 15 000 unverified pensionsThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is facilitating formal kinship care arrangement for twin babies
“The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is facilitating a formal kinship care arrangement for the twin babies who survived an attempted drowning incident at Omutundungu village in the Omusati region last Sunday.”
Gender ministry arranges family care for rescued Omusati babiesNamibian Sun
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has acknowledged only a small proportion of survivors can be accommodated in safe houses at any given time
“Only a handful of survivors can be accommodated in safe houses at any given time, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has acknowledged.”
N$1m budget and limited beds strain GBV sheltersThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare suggested provisions from sexual exploitation bill could form new chapter in Child Care and Protection Act
“The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has suggested that provisions in this law could form a new chapter in the Child Care and Protection Act if not enacted as a stand-alone statute.”
Problems With the Cybercrime BillThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has sheltered 347 survivors of gender-based violence, child abuse and trafficking
“The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has sheltered 347 survivors of gender-based violence, child abuse and trafficking in the past year.”
Govt shelters 350 GBV, trafficking survivorsThe Namibian
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare was allocated N$417.2 million for 2026/2027 financial year
“The ministry has been allocated a total budget of N$417.2 million to execute its core mandate of ensuring gender equality and equitable socio-economic development of women and men, and the well-being of children.”
Minister Emma Kantema presents gender equality and child welfare budget in National AssemblyNew Era
Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has designated specific safe places (police stations, hospitals, schools) for legal child surrender
“Haufiku further noted that the government has designated specific safe places where children can be legally surrendered without fear of prosecution.”
Parents have 60 days to reclaim childrenA government report shows girls in Namibia recorded an annual average of 1,252 reported violence cases over 2014–2023, compared to 711 for boys, with the highest number of cases (1,698) reported in 2023. The data covers violence including kidnapping, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
2 hours ago · The Namibian →
A government report shows girls in Namibia recorded an annual average of 1,252 reported violence cases over 2014–2023, compared to 711 for boys, with the highest number of cases (1,698) reported in 2023. The data covers violence including kidnapping, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
2 hours ago · The Namibian →
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.
21 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Jonah Home in Walvis Bay has cared for abandoned and vulnerable children for 15 years, currently housing about 14 children with capacity for up to 20. The facility accepts children from difficult circumstances including neglect, abuse, and families affected by substance addiction.
18 July 2026 · Namibian Sun →
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.
16 July 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has suspended grant payments to beneficiaries with discrepancies between their personal details and the National Population Register, and is urging those affected to visit a pension office by July 31, 2026 to verify their identity documents. The ministry began paying verified beneficiaries in July and will continue processing backdated payments until September 2026.
15 July 2026 · Informanté →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare says over 15,825 old-age grant beneficiaries whose payments were suspended due to mismatched personal details must visit pension offices for verification by the end of July. Reviewed beneficiaries have resumed payments, with additional payments continuing through September.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Riaan Andrew van Wyk (46) was sentenced to life imprisonment by High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku for murdering his biological brother Frederik van Wyk (51) by stabbing him in the chest with a knife on 13 November 2021 in Rehoboth. Van Wyk was also convicted of attempted murder of another brother, Stephanus van Wyk, under the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.
14 July 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has removed 280 children from the streets and reintegrated them into schools as part of efforts to tackle homelessness and street children.
13 July 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Omuthiya constituency regional councillor Erastus Nekomba has warned against the neglect and exploitation of elderly people after household visits uncovered pensioners living in dire conditions, including an 80-year-old woman whose family members are alleged to be misusing her pension grant.
9 July 2026 · The Namibian →
An unemployed Rehoboth community activist built El-Roi kindergarten in 2016 to shelter, feed and educate neglected and abandoned children. The facility currently houses three children and is run by the activist and his family with contributions from parents, some of whom cannot afford the monthly N$150 or N$200 fee.
30 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Most pensioners in Hardap region whose grants were frozen during a verification exercise can expect their funds in the July payment cycle, with eligible beneficiaries receiving full back-pay once final approval is granted. The freeze affected more than 400 beneficiaries in the region due to data mismatches between the ministry's records and the National Population Register.
25 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Over 15,000 Namibian pensioners have had their old-age grants suspended after missing a mandatory government verification process in October. Many pensioners say they were not adequately informed of the callout and are now struggling to meet basic needs.
7 June 2026 · The Namibian →
A six-year-old boy reported missing on Wednesday from the Goreangab area of Windhoek has been found. He had been missing since Sunday and was discovered at Wanaheda Police Station; he is now in the care of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
5 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Finance suspended 15,825 of 209,226 old-age grant recipients whose names could not be found in the National Population Registry System. Beneficiaries can restore payments by providing identity documentation at the nearest Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare office, and once verified will receive back payments covering the suspension period.
4 June 2026 · Informanté →
The government has temporarily suspended the grants of 15,825 old-age pension beneficiaries whose names could not be verified on the National Population Registry System. Affected beneficiaries must visit regional gender ministry or constituency offices with their national identification document and birth certificate to have their grants reinstated, and will receive back payment for the suspension period.
3 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is facilitating a kinship care arrangement for 9-month-old twin babies who survived an attempted drowning at Omutundungu village in Omusati last Sunday. A family member has stepped forward to assume full responsibility for the children, and the ministry commended the man who rescued them.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
A 37-year-old domestic worker was arrested after allegedly giving birth and dumping a newborn boy in a pit latrine at Okafitu ka Kahala village in Outapi on Sunday. The case is being investigated as murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice; Namibia decriminalized baby dumping in 2019 if infants are left unharmed at designated safe places such as hospitals and police stations.
29 April 2026 · The Namibian →
San families in Eenhana and surrounding settlements live in makeshift structures and face unemployment, lack of identity documents, and inadequate housing, despite government efforts including food assistance, school transport, and housing projects. Officials acknowledge living conditions remain difficult and uneven across communities, with plans to relocate some settlements and continue support programmes.
24 April 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's eight state-run shelters for gender-based violence survivors operate with a N$1 million annual budget covering only food and basics, accommodating only 80 GBV clients at any time despite thousands of reported cases. Staffing shortages, no national system to track turned-away victims, and restricted access policies compound the pressure, with the ministry acknowledging the sheltering system is "not yet fully adequate to meet all demand across the country."
22 April 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The final draft of Namibia's cybercrime bill contains multiple shortcomings including undefined terms around computer viruses, cyberbullying, and obscene images that could lead to unconstitutional restrictions on free speech and inadequate victim protection. The author argues the bill should be improved before parliamentary submission, citing concerns that key provisions lack clarity, may inhibit online speech, and could create practical enforcement problems.
21 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare sheltered 347 survivors of gender-based violence, child abuse and trafficking in the past year through counselling and designated safe places. The ministry, allocated N$417 million for 2026/27, also accommodated 520 children in homes and shelters, provided psychosocial support to over 5,000 children, and recruited 21 additional social workers to strengthen response services.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has been allocated N$417.2 million for the 2026/2027 financial year to advance gender equity, child protection, and women's economic empowerment across Namibia. In the past year, the ministry supported 347 survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking, accommodated 329 street children in boarding schools, and expanded early childhood development enrolment from 110,726 to 126,213 across the country.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed National Council member Moses //Khumub as deputy minister in the Office of the Vice President, a move that lawmakers have criticised as unnecessary bureaucracy given the limited role of the office. The State House said the deputy minister will provide technical and professional support to Vice President Lucia Witbooi, particularly in overseeing marginalised communities and disability affairs divisions transferred from another ministry.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has established a 60-day window allowing biological parents to reclaim children they have surrendered to the State, after which the child enters formal State care and becomes eligible for adoption. The government has also designated safe facilities—police stations, hospitals, and schools—where parents may legally surrender children without prosecution, aiming to prevent dangerous abandonments in unsafe locations.
9 April 2026 · New Era →
Players from marginalised communities will represent Namibia at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games in Mozambique later this year, selected through community games held by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. The 2026 National Youth Games will use a clustered format to manage a reduced budget.
3 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Youth Service's five-week rehabilitation programme at Henties Bay introduced 76 street-connected children aged 12–18 to structure, medical care, psychosocial support and life skills, with plans to transition them into formal schooling and vocational training. Graduates reported gaining confidence, emotional resilience and a sense of belonging after years of survival on the streets.
31 March 2026 · New Era →
Research by Unicef shows that approximately 9% of internet-using Namibian children aged 12–17 — an estimated 20,000 children annually — experience online sexual exploitation or abuse. Police and justice sector officials are undergoing training to strengthen victim identification and enforcement efforts as digital exploitation increasingly involves sophisticated cross-border methods.
27 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Development Bank of Namibia has launched "DBN for Her," a financing initiative designed to increase access to credit for women-owned businesses. The product offers loans at prime interest rate with a 12-month grace period and credit guarantee scheme to address the documented funding gap, with women having received only about 14% of DBN's total funding to date.
26 March 2026 · New Era →
A 36-year-old woman was arrested after leaving her newborn at a church in Ohangwena, raising questions about what locations legally qualify as "safe places" under Namibia's 2019 safe-haven policy. While some argue the mother's circumstances warrant consideration and the law permits leaving unharmed infants at churches, police and government officials contend the specific location—an empty church with the baby placed unattended on the floor—did not meet statutory requirements for a designated safe place.
24 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister Lucia Iipumbu said the ministry will fast-track its human trafficking action plan (2023–2027) in response to parliamentary questions about the rising issue. Between June 2024 and June 2025, six cases were recorded, with five Namibian victims repatriated from Myanmar and one from Laos, while perpetrators often target vulnerable children from rural areas.
19 March 2026 · The Namibian →