Govt takes street kids’ crisis head-on
The Namibian Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is conducting a study to better understand the factors driving children into street life. The government aims to improve reintegration programs after successfully removing hundreds of children from the streets in recent years.
Why it matters
Addressing child homelessness is critical for social development and requires accurate data to implement effective legislative and social support interventions.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare identified 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023.
Resultantly, the ministry will conduct a regional study this year to determine the actual number of children living and working on the streets and establish the social and economic factors pushing children into street life. The Khomas region recorded the highest number of street-connected children. Gender minister Emma Kantema told Parliament that the study will help the government develop stronger interventions.
“Street-connected children do not exclusively live on the streets, as they move between their homes and the streets; hence, it is a challenge to obtain accurate numbers of children living and working on the streets,” Kantema said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in