Opinion – Policy debate: Protecting children before crisis

I take note of the position expressed by the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare regarding the urgent need to address infant abandonment and strengthen child protection mechanisms in Namibia.

The concern is both valid and necessary, reflecting the seriousness of a challenge that no society can ignore. However, in my considered view, the current debate must now move beyond reaction and punitive framing towards what I would describe as first-diagnosis policy thinking.

This system identifies vulnerability early and intervenes before the crisis becomes irreversible. I oppose abandonment in all forms and the State must never normalise it, even implicitly. However, abandonment is rarely sudden. It often results from ongoing psychological, economic and social stresses.

These reflections are based on this understanding. The minister rightly notes punitive measures have not stopped infant abandonment, despite decades of sanctions.

Criminal law acts after harm, but prevention systems are weak. The State must shift from reacting to proactively preventing crises. Namibia’s Constitution lays the foundation for this shift.

Article 15 guarantees children’s protection, and Article 95 requires the State to promote social welfare and dignity.

These demands go beyond reactive protection, requiring systems to detect vulnerability early and respond pre-emptively. Safe surrender mechanisms are crucial as a final safety net when other systems fail.