Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
Windhoek—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Organization

Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare

Also known as: ministries of gender equality and child welfare · child welfare ministry · ministry of gender · gender ministry · her ministry · MGECW

Namibian government ministry that operates shelters for gender-based violence and trafficking survivors, manages child welfare services, and oversees youth programs and women's entrepreneurship initiatives.

Society

Arrest of mother who left newborn at church sparks safe-haven law debate

The News

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 →

Tuesday 24 March

  1. Arrest of mother who left newborn at church sparks safe-haven law debate

    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 →

Thursday 19 March

  1. Safety ministry to accelerate human trafficking action plan

    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 →

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Ministry rehabilitates 75 street children over five weeks

    About 75 children aged 12–18 from five regions completed a five-week rehabilitation and reintegration programme run by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare in partnership with the National Youth Service at Henties Bay. The training focused on discipline, patriotism, voluntarism and agricultural skills, with officials calling on families to support the children's reintegration.

    17 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Woman remanded in custody for trafficking and exploiting teenage worker

    Selma Daniel, 62, appeared in Ondangwa Magistrate's Court facing charges of trafficking in persons, child exploitation, neglect, and child abandonment related to the alleged abuse of her 16-year-old Angolan domestic worker, who was unpaid and reportedly forced to work in harsh conditions. The magistrate remanded Daniel in custody, with the case postponed to 19 August 2026.

    17 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 11 March

  1. Windhoek Grade 1 pupil hospitalised after alleged assault by classmate's father

    A 7-year-old boy was hospitalised at Windhoek Central Hospital after allegedly being assaulted by the father of a classmate who discovered his son crying after an incident at school. The Namibian government says it is investigating the matter, with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare condemning the incident and emphasising that no circumstance justifies violence against children.

    11 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Finance minister clarifies N$65m NamPost social grant funds

    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.

    11 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 6 March

  1. 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

  1. 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 →

Friday 27 February

  1. Opinion: Namibian social grants need expansion to protect vulnerable children

    An independent activist argues that Namibia's social grants, while beneficial, have restrictive criteria that exclude unemployed youth and vulnerable children; he calls for expanded coverage and greater consultation with community stakeholders to ensure all children receive equal support and avoid poverty-related hardship.

    27 February 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 24 February

  1. 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 →

Namibia Minute