On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Social Security Commission (SSC), Minister of Justice and Labour Relations, Fillemon Immanuel, and SSC Chief Executive Officer, Milka Mungunda, spoke about the commission's growth and future initiatives aimed at improving women's rights, particularly around maternity leave. 

The event, attended by the staff and stakeholders, marked a significant milestone in the commission's efforts to secure social protection for Namibians.

The focus of the celebration was on future plans, with Immanuel and Mungunda discussing upcoming reforms, particularly around maternity leave. 

One key proposal is increasing maternity leave contributions to ensure women receive their full salaries while on leave. 

Additionally, the commission plans to extend maternity leave to six months, allowing mothers more time to recover and bond with their newborns. 

Minister Immanuel supported these changes, emphasising their alignment with the government's gender equality goals, while Mungunda confirmed that the commission was ready to implement them once the bill was enacted.

Immanuel highlighted the achievements of the Social Security Commission over the past three decades. 

"Over the past 25 years, more than 100,000 beneficiaries have received payouts in the form of retirement, disability, illness, and maternity claims to the tune of N$1.2 billion. The Human Capital Fund SSC development involves the commission funding approximately 371 bursaries and 116 study loans to Namibian students pursuing studies in various strategic fields.

Mungunda expressed her appreciation to the commission and the people who were there before them.