“Poverty, illiteracy and early deaths await world’s most disadvantaged children”. This is the headline of the latest UNICEF State of the World’s Children 2016 report. The report states that 167 million children will live in poverty, and 750 million women will have been married as children by 2030, unless the world focuses more on the plight of its most disadvantaged children.
“The gains that Namibia has made for her children are many, and we applaud the Government for that,” said UNICEF Representative to Namibia, Micaela Marques de Sousa, “and yet we do need to address the obstacles facing many children – especially those from the most vulnerable households – obstacles which cause these children to remain behind, to be invisible, to have their rights left un-realised and to be denied the chance to become equal citizens in their country of birth.”
On the issue of children living on the streets of Namibia, especially in Windhoek, Namibia Police Force (NAMPOL) Chief Inspector Catherine Imbondi at the Women and Child Protection Unit, says the age group of these kids range between five(5) and sixteen(16) years. “Most of the children are having parents” said Imbondi. “Parents must know that they have a responsibility to take care of their kids until the age of 21 when the children are mature that they can take life, the world and everything on their own,” Imbondi added.
Meanwhile Senior Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Charlie Matengu says every child has the right to a home and every child has the right to a shelter and as soon as those rights are not met it makes a child vulnerable.
99FM Spotlight News sat down with Namibia Police Force (NAMPOL) Chief Inspector Catherine Imbondi at the Women and Child Protection Unit and Senior Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Charlie Matengu on the reasons there are and solutions for kids living on the streets in Namibia.
https://soundcloud.com/99fm/spotlight-news-namibia-police-force-chief-inspector-catherine-imbondimp3
https://soundcloud.com/99fm/spotlight-news-senior-public-relations-officer-ministry-of-gender-equality-and-child-welfare-charlie-matengu
-Interviews by Maggie Forcelledo