Gender ministry removes 280 children from the streets

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare says it has removed hundreds of children from the streets and reintegrated them into schools as part of ongoing efforts to tackle child homelessness and vulnerability.

Gender Equality and Child Welfare Minister Emma Kantema told Parliament last week that a government profiling exercise found 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023, with the Khomas Region recording the highest number.

"The profile indicated that not all regions have children on the streets. However, about 373 children were living and working on the streets in 2023, with Khomas recording the highest number," she said.

According to Kantema, the After-School Centre in Grysblock, Windhoek, successfully reintegrated 280 of those children into schools, while the Hardap Region removed a further 107 children from the streets and returned them to the education system.

She noted that obtaining an accurate count of street-connected children remains challenging because many move between their homes and the streets.

"As a result, the ministry has identified the need to undertake a regional study in 2026 to determine the number of children living on the streets and to better understand the factors that push or pull children into street life," she said.

Kantema explained that children found on the streets without adult care are removed in terms of the Child Care and Protection Act and placed in shelters while social workers assess their circumstances.

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