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Monday, 7 September 2026
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Monday, 7 September 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare

Also known as: MGECW

Government ministry handling child protection, juvenile justice, social grants, and street children reintegration in Namibia.

2020-10-232026-09-07
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. January 2026

  2. Informanté

    Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare shared an awareness video about the Child Care and Protection Act

    Source

    “IN an awareness video shared by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, the Child Care and Protection Act is designed to empower and protect children by ensuring access to essential health services and safeguarding their well-being.”

    Child Care Act safeguards minors’ access to healthcare

  3. Informanté

    The Ministry has explained that children aged 14 and older have legal right to consent to certain medical treatments

    Source

    “Children aged 14 and older in Namibia have the legal right to consent to certain medical treatments if they understand the benefits and risks, even when parents refuse consent based on cultural or religious beliefs, the Ministry has explained.”

    Child Care Act safeguards minors’ access to healthcare
  4. October 2020

  5. The Namibian

    Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has been described as rusted and failing in protecting children children from sexual offenders and rapists

    Source

    “They say 'uncles', men, teachers, the police and the rusted machines of a failing Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare have allowed sexual offenders and rapists to thrive while women and children cower below a tombstone of apathy, victim blaming and incompetence.”

    Suffer the Children
Society

Kavango West records four child marriage cases in two years

The News

The Kavango West education directorate has recorded four child marriage cases over the past two years, including a 2024 attempt by a mother to remove a girl from school to marry an older man. Education director Pontianus Musore said schools are regularly sensitised on child marriage and encouraged to report cases to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, though some cases go unreported due to cultural practices and poverty.

18 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 18 August

  1. Kavango West records four child marriage cases in two years

    The Kavango West education directorate has recorded four child marriage cases over the past two years, including a 2024 attempt by a mother to remove a girl from school to marry an older man. Education director Pontianus Musore said schools are regularly sensitised on child marriage and encouraged to report cases to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, though some cases go unreported due to cultural practices and poverty.

    18 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 16 August

  1. Free kindergarten in Gobabis welcomes all children, regardless of family income

    Fall n Opstaan kindergarten in Gobabis's Turiandjera township, founded in 2016 under a tree, now enrolls 143 children from kindergarten to preschool at no cost. Owner Johanna Nakale and three volunteer teachers provide free education and a safe environment for children from impoverished families.

    16 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 14 August

  1. Ministry strengthens juvenile justice screening and diversion services

    The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is strengthening its juvenile justice services through screening and diversion of children in conflict with the law, along with pre-sentence impact mitigation reports, as part of broader child protection and well-being programmes.

    14 August 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 12 August

  1. Unemployed mothers at Gobabis drink tombo to manage hunger

    Young unemployed mothers in Kanaan B settlement at Gobabis drink tombo, a homemade brew, throughout the day to relieve hunger pangs in an informal settlement lacking running water, electricity, toilets, and food. Authorities identify alcohol as a major challenge linked to child neglect, crime, domestic violence, and poor productivity in the area.

    12 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 10 August

  1. Children receiving street support declined over past decade

    The number of Namibian children receiving support for living and working on the street fell by more than 40% from 857 in 2014 to 485 in 2023, according to the government's Child Care and Protection Statistics Report (2014-2023). The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare attributes the decline to improved reintegration into families, schools and communities.

    10 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 7 August

  1. Deputy sports minister praises Team Namibia's Commonwealth Games showing

    Deputy sport minister Dino Ballotti commended Namibia's 23-member team for their performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the country finished 29th overall and second in southern Africa. Ballotti said the medal haul could have been greater with more athletes competing and pledged preparations for future international events including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

    7 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 3 August

  1. Omaheke region has only three social workers

    Omaheke's three social workers serve all seven constituencies, leaving vulnerable children and survivors of gender-based violence with limited access to social welfare services. The region faces challenges including limited funding, staff burnout, vacant positions, and no emergency shelters or designated places of safety.

    3 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 30 July

  1. Cabinet approves Namibia–South Africa cooperation agreements

    Namibia's Cabinet approved several Memoranda of Understanding with South Africa covering social development, gender equality, and women's empowerment, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

    30 July 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 27 July

  1. Child grant beneficiaries reach 377 164, spending tops N$1 billion

    Government spending on child grants exceeded N$1 billion as the number of children receiving State grants increased to 377 164 in 2023, up from 164 434 in 2014, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare's 2014–2023 Child Care and Protection Statistics Report. The vulnerable grant saw the largest growth, rising from 8 238 to 254 771 beneficiaries over the period, though maintenance grants and foster care grants declined.

    27 July 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 23 July

  1. Child abuse cases hit 10-year high; girls face greater violence

    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.

    23 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 21 July

  1. Lutuhezi urges flexibility on social grant verification deadline

    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 →

Saturday 18 July

  1. Jonah Home provides safe care for Namibia's vulnerable children

    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 →

Thursday 16 July

  1. Ministry identifies 373 street-connected children in 2023

    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 →

Wednesday 15 July

  1. Grant beneficiaries have until July 31 to verify identity details

    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 →

Tuesday 14 July

  1. Government grant beneficiaries must verify by July 31

    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 →

  2. Man sentenced to life for murdering brother in Rehoboth

    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 →

Monday 13 July

  1. Gender ministry removes 280 children from streets

    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 →

Thursday 9 July

  1. Omuthiya councillor warns against pensioner neglect and exploitation

    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 →

Tuesday 30 June

  1. Rehoboth activist shelters neglected children in self-built kindergarten

    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 →

Thursday 25 June

  1. Hardap pensioners to receive frozen grants in July

    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 →

Sunday 7 June

  1. Over 15,000 pensioners lose grants after missing verification

    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 →

Friday 5 June

  1. Missing six-year-old boy found in Windhoek

    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 →

Thursday 4 June

  1. 15,825 old-age grant recipients suspended over verification gaps

    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 →

Wednesday 3 June

  1. Government suspends 15,825 unverified old-age pension grants

    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 →

Sunday 24 May

  1. Ministry arranges kinship care for Omusati twins rescued from drowning

    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 →

Wednesday 29 April

  1. Woman arrested for dumping newborn in pit latrine

    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 →

Friday 24 April

  1. San communities in Ohangwena report poverty despite government support

    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 →

Wednesday 22 April

  1. Namibia's state GBV shelters strain under tight budget and capacity limits

    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 →

Tuesday 21 April

  1. Cybercrime bill has serious flaws, experts say

    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 →

Wednesday 15 April

  1. Ministry shelters 347 GBV and trafficking survivors in past year

    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 →

Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute