Safe baby abandonment—an act or preparedness? Should mothers abandon babies to ghosts and gunners?
Recently, the Minister of Gender and Child Welfare, Emma Kantema, said that Namibia's Child Care and Protection Act 3 of 2015 now allows a mother in crisis to safely abandon her newborn baby at designated places such as police stations, hospitals, or schools without facing criminal charges, provided strict conditions are met. These efforts are meant to prevent baby dumping and protect innocent lives from suffering a harsh start to life. The intention is pure and should be welcomed.
Sem Billy David I Recently, the Minister of Gender and Child Welfare, Emma Kantema, said that Namibia’s Child Care and Protection Act 3 of 2015 now allows a mother in crisis to safely abandon her newborn baby at designated places such as police stations, hospitals, or schools without facing criminal charges, provided strict conditions are met. These efforts are meant to prevent baby dumping and protect innocent lives from suffering a harsh start to life. The intention is pure and should be welcomed.
However, her statement raises serious concerns about how prepared we truly are to implement this in practice. What concrete preparations has the ministry made to ensure that these facilities are ready, and that social workers are in place to receive these babies? Or are mothers expected to abandon their babies to empty buildings, to ghosts and gunners?
Where exactly are these safe abandonment spots located? Is it just anywhere near the police station, in the yard, or at the gate? Has clear information been shared with the public?
