Poverty down, joblessness up

While Namibia has made considerable progress in achieving some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) there are notable challenges that must be addressed. More than 7 500 pregnant schoolgirls dropped out of school between 2014 and 2016, while domestic violence cases have increased sharply by 23% for 2016/17. Thus, despite national efforts, Namibia still faces high levels of gender-based violence, increasing levels of teenage pregnancy and lower representation of women in decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors. The Standing Committee on Gender, Youth and Information Communication Technology held a workshop earlier this year covering the SDGs specifically focussing on No Poverty, Zero Hunger and Gender Equality. It submitted a report to National Council about the outcomes of the workshop, along with its recommendations. According to the committee, there has been remarkable progress in the education sector where gender gaps have been closed at primary and tertiary levels. However, there was concern about the growing dropout rates of boys in schools, low school completion rates of males and limited representation of males as staff in the two education ministries, as well as in adult classes, in almost all the regions. The committee further found that during the past few years Namibia has witnessed a considerable reduction in absolute poverty and significant improvements have been made in the living conditions of people across the country.



Jobs lost

It said there has been a drop of poverty levels from 28.7% in 2009/10 to 18% in 2015/16, while Namibia's unemployment rate increased to 34% of the working population last year from 28.1% in 2014. According to the committee the contribution of agriculture to employment has also decreased from 31% to 20%.

“This is attributed to the effect of the persistent drought which impacted on agricultural productivity. This also contributed to urban migration in search of survival opportunities. However, this year's increase in production is more likely to reverse the trend.” It is not noted in the report during which periods the changes were recorded.



A third hungry

Food insecurity in Namibia stands at 28%, while lower income earners spend 57% of their income on food, the committee says. In 2016, food insecurity in rural areas stood at 34% and the regions that are the most food insecure are Zambezi (49.4%); Kavango West (49.4%); Omusati (49.1%); Erongo (43.3%) and Oshikoto (40.7%)

It said Namibia imports 60% of its food consumed in the country and 83% of the population relies on the market to access food. It added that child stunting rates stand at 24% with the highest being in the Ohangwena, Hardap, //Karas and Omaheke and Oshikoto regions. The percentage of anaemic people aged between 6 to 59 months is at 48%, wasting in children stands at 6% and the region with the highest level is Omaheke at 10%. Recommendations by the committee included that parliament members engage with the National Planning Commission to conduct a comprehensive analysis of all organisations, ministries and agencies and recommend corrective measures to the SDGs. It was also recommended that the involvement of grassroots communities is increased, specifically with those measures that reform the SDGs so that woman and men, and girls and boys, in the regions are involved in the planning of these goals.



ELLANIE SMIT