In a recent parliamentary session, the Popular Democratic Movement's (PDM) MP, Inna Hengari, expressed deep concern about the increasing violence against children in Namibia.

In simple terms, violence means hurting someone on purpose, either physically or emotionally.

Hengari highlighted that despite the laws and policies in place to protect children, reports of them being abused, raped, and subjected to violence have become distressingly common in Namibia.

"In 2014, a 15-month-old baby was found alone among goats while his mother was busy working. In another case, in 2019, a 13-year-old child was allegedly chained for nine days as punishment for stealing sweets. In 2021, a terrifying incident occurred where a nine-year-old boy got lost in the bush for two nights with a snake crawling into his jacket. Recently, a nine-year-old child was even chained to a tree by their grandparents. These incidents show the urgent need to address the growing violence against children."

She emphasised that the increasing violence against children poses a serious threat to society.

To address these challenges, Hengari proposed several actions.

These include aggressive awareness of available medical, psychological, legal, and protective services for children who have experienced violence.