Martin Endjala
Following an announcement by the Ministry of Health and Social Services that 45 children under the age of five died due to malnutrition in the Omaheke region between January and June 2023, measures are needed to redress the scourge of extreme poverty.
The universal basic income grant is seen as a tool that could provide an answer to the question of hunger. Basilius Kasera, a lecturer of Religion, Philosophy and Applied Ethics at the University of Namibia told this publication that he believes that this is not a political statement, but one proven to guarantee households with the financial security to make objective choices. Among such choices is access to basic life-enhancing necessities such as food.
“We cannot address child poverty through community soup kitchens. Such care must be provided for the security of their families in their homes. This is possible when families are provided with steady incomes to provide their children with adequate nutrition. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine who is a social worker in Gobabis, told me that she had an adult man admitted for malnutrition which is indicative of the problem of poverty in the country,”Kasera said.
Kasera added that the death of 45 children as a result of malnutrition-related conditions is a sad indicator of the government’s failure to ensure basic human rights and protect the most vulnerable in society. He added that the government’s inaction could be viewed as cruelty.
He is of the view that government’s failure only demonstrates the depth of socio-economic inequality and a lack of prioritising the interest of the less privileged, particularly children.
These deaths, he said, further indicate a failure of the government to provide far-reaching social protection, entrenched in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Namibia is a signatory member. The convention states that every child has the right to decent standards of living, he added.
Kasera maintains that this is further reaffirmed in Article 8 of the Namibian Constitution.
“More often than not, the government’s failure to ensure the well-being and rights of children continues to be observed, in this case, especially protection from poverty and malnutrition,” he said.
He said he believes that civil society organisations play a vital role in advocating radical policy changes and that there is a need to pressure the government to prioritise the wellbeing of the poorest members of society, so they can provide better care for their children.
“As it is, current government responses are said to be nothing short of cruelty and evading responsibility to protect children. The government must implement policies and programmes that tackle poverty and malnutrition effectively,” he said.
Kasera said the universal income grant is one such programme and must be accompanied by other social infrastructure that will ensure that the poor have access to essential services.
The academic urged the government to consider inflationary impacts on basic goods and added that the poorest people are paying a huge price because they cannot afford food.
“If we were able to pass so many bills in the last two weeks, we can also pass the bill for a universal income grant. Passing such a bill is a tangible manifestation of the government’s commitment to promoting human rights and ensuring that the well-being of children is also protected,” Kasera said.
In the same vein, the Omaheke Regional Governor, Pijoo Nganate during his State of the Address last week expressed concern about the death of the 45 children. And added that it is his dream to have a society, a region and a country in which everyone is accorded equal opportunities and where no child wonders where his or her next meal will come from.
“When I close my eyes, I see every child in the Omaheke Region with strong white healthy teeth. I see every child with a glass of milk produced in the region. I envisage every child with a bright smile of happiness. This is how every child should be. Once we achieve this, only then can we say that their blood waters our freedom,” the Governor said.
Nganate is convinced that all goals can be reached if people hold hands and say no to imported powdered milk.
He said the region is endowed with resources to grow, produce and feed its people and beyond and therefore, they must unite to strive for peace and prosperity and embark on innovation and partnerships with their Neighbours and the world at large to enable the region to move towards a united, self-sustained and wealthy Region as per the Vision they have crafted.
The region has recorded 132 cases of malnutrition since January.
