Protecting children and adolescents against violence
Ensuring that the basic rights of children are protected
Challenges
Children of all ages are affected by physical, emotional, sexual and online violence. Available evidence indicates that 32.7 per cent of girls and 30.9 per cent of boys aged 13–17 years experienced physical discipline and verbal aggression at home, and more than half (52 per cent) of women and girls aged 15–19 years had been subjected to violence by a partner.
Furthermore, the country is witnessing a surge in online abuse. In 2021 approximately 20,000 children (9 per cent of internet users aged 12–17 years old) reported to have been subjected to online child sexual exploitation and abuse in 2021.
Namibia is also one of the few African countries with a comprehensive and entirely government-funded social protection system which serves to cushion children and their families from financial distress through the provision of grants. However, access to Social protection services such as social grants, birth registration etc. remains a challenge, to many children and their families
Ensuring that all children are protected from any form of violence and making sure that they all have access to the existing social protection services, especially those most vulnerable and hard to reach, is imperative.
Solutions
UNICEF targets the poorest children and women and those who are most at risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. UNICEF strives to help them realise this fundamental right by creating supportive legislative, community, and family environments.
Social protection is a critical area of support, which includes reforming the child grant system and increasing access to birth registration.
Developing and implementing laws, policies, strategies, plans, and budgets for child protection and social protection is one side of the coin.
On the other side is the provision of integrated child protection and justice services for child victims of online and offline violence and exploitation, children with disabilities, and other socially excluded youngsters.
Furthermore, to create a safe reporting mechanism for Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, a reporting portal, accessible via Lifeline/Childline Namibia, offers a safe and confidential platform for anyone to report incidents of online child sexual abuse and exploitation.