parents to play integral role in the learning process of their children, and to continue and
strengthen its action with a view of ensuring children of working parents are provided
with basic services.
Family reunification and children deprived of the family environment
29.The Committee, from reports, noted that 36% of children in Namibia are not living with
their parents. The Committee, therefore, recommends the State Party to put all effort to
ensure family reunification through a system of tracing, legal assistance, travel
arrangements, and financial support. To address the need of children whose family
cannot be traced, the Committee recommends the State Party to increase its social
workers work pool, to build the capacity of existing social workers, to strengthen already
existing and to establish new public alternative care facilities, to effectively supervise
and monitor alternative care institutions, and to collaborate with CSOs for mobilization
of resources. To this effect, the Committee calls upon the State Party to consult the UN
Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children.
Adoption
30.The Committee notes with regret the loophole that is created following the decision of
the High Court in 2004 in the Detmold Case which led inter-country adoption to be
made without the involvement of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. The
Committee also regrets that the process to address the loophole is still ongoing.
Henceforth, the Committee recommends the Government of Namibia to promptly take
actions to fill the gap. To this end, the Committee recommends the State Party to
consult the Guidelines for Action on Inter-country Adoption in Africa in measures It
adopts and to expedite the process of ratifying the Hague Convention on Protection of
Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption.
F. Health and Welfare
Children with disabilities
31. The Committee appreciates the State Party for adopting the National Disability Act,
National Policy for Mental Health, and the Policy for Orthopedic Technical Services to
cater for the needs of children with disability. Further, the Committee applauds the State
Party for establishing a National Disability Council, a Disability Unit in the Office of the
Prime Minister, and for providing disability grants for children with disabilities. However,
the Committee notes that the National Council is hampered with organizational
difficulties and there still exists barriers to access health services for children with
disabilities. The Committee, therefore, recommends the State Party to continue its
efforts to address the need of children with disability through the proper implementation
of its policies and by establishing orthopedic services and where services are available
8