The fourth Junior National Council has concluded its first session this week.

During its session, MPs tabled and made recommendations on three motions, mainly water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure; equal educational opportunities for boys and girls; and mental health and psychosocial support for children and adolescents.

The Chairperson of the Junior National Council, Fritz Hangue, stated that their role does not end when they leave the chambers, as it is now their responsibility to continue advocating for the rights, well-being, and aspirations of children.

“Those sessions equipped us with knowledge, strengthened our understanding of the issues affecting children, and gave us confidence and tools to engage meaningfully on the motions before us. They reminded us that effective leadership is not simply about speaking well; it is about being informed, listening carefully, understanding different perspectives, and being willing to engage with difficult issues.”

Hangue said it is critical that greater effort is put into understanding the context and root causes behind the lack of access to essential services for the Namibian child, adding that statistics may be informative on what is happening but not why it is happening.

“It is therefore important that we continue scrutinising and interrogating the statistics surrounding school dropouts, particularly among boys, as well as the broader factors contributing to children being left behind. We should not simply accept statistics at face value. We must ask why. Why are children leaving school? What are the circumstances they are facing at home? What challenges are they facing at school? What support systems are missing, and what can we, as a country, do differently?”

He expressed appreciation on behalf of the council to UNICEF and the Embassy of China for their valuable contribution and investment towards the success of the session.