The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty, Eradication, and Social Welfare commemorated the belated International Women's Day under the theme "Invest in Women to Accelerate Progress."

The day was marked at Zilitene Area in Katima Rural.

Speaking during the commemoration, Zambezi Governor Alufea Sampofu stated that to build a more just and equal society, more investment is needed in women's leadership, health, education, and economic development.

Sampofu also urged state-owned enterprises and the private sector to invest in gender equality and women's empowerment.

Tsumkwe Constituency Councillor Johannes Haufiku has called on the Office of the Prime Minister to combine the drought relief food aid and feeding programmes for marginalised communities in his area.

In an interview with nbc News, Haufiku says food parcels do not reach all intended beneficiaries, despite many households and individuals needing food aid.

According to Haufiku, households listed for the marginalised feeding programme receive food parcels quarterly but do not qualify for drought relief aid, which is distributed monthly through the constituency office. 

The European Union (EU) in Namibia has injected more than N$300 million into early childhood development (ECD) centres around the country. 

EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins made the announcement during the launch of the programme at Mix Settlement, on the outskirts of Windhoek. 

N$262 million will go to the Treasury, and N$60 million will go towards technical assistance, including support actions implemented by Unicef and the World Food Programme. 

The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare (MGEPESW) is reviving the regional Gender Permanent Task Force committee at Gobabis. 

The committee, which comprises heads of various ministries and traditional leaders, deals with gender-based violence-related issues at the regional level, and the review aims to acquaint themselves with what is expected of them.

The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare (MGEPESW) is calling on some locals to stop using people from marginalised communities for cheap labour.

The Deputy Director of Marginalised Communities, Rebekka Namwandi, says the practice is inconsiderate and has to stop.
 

Namibia is home to three marginalised communities: the San, Ovatue, and Ovatjimba.

Sometimes, various locals take them in with the intention of fostering them, but in reality, that's not always the case.

A drug and alcohol awareness campaign was held at J.A. Nel Secondary School at Keetmanshoop in efforts to tackle the scourge of drug abuse, especially among young people.

The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare hosted the 'Say No to Drugs" campaign.

The campaign targets youth between the ages of 13 and 17, who appear to be experimenting with drugs and other harmful substances.

A medical doctor and a senior police officer attached to the drug law enforcement unit explained the negative effects of drugs.

The Day of the Namibian Child was officially celebrated in the Zambezi Region today.

The 28th of September, declared the national day for the Namibian Child by the Namibian Cabinet in the year 2000, has been celebrated annually and this year under the theme "The rights of the child in a digital environment" at the main event, which took place at Masokotwani in the Sibbinda constituency.

The Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, Doreen Siyoka, stressed the ministry's continued efforts to safeguard Namibian children's overall well-being.

High cases of teenage pregnancy among girls aged between 13 and 19 years old in Kamanjab, Kunene Region, remain a burning social issue that needs concerted efforts to address.

These are the views of Deputy Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, Bernadette Jagger, when she addressed the Women and Girls Conference on Teenage Pregnancy held yesterday.

She highlighted that the escalation of such social issues is driven by poverty, peer pressure, sexual abuse, a lack of parental involvement, and harmful cultural beliefs.

The Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka, officially inaugurated the Likwaterera Early Childhood Development Centre in the Kavango East Region.

Since 2016, learners at the centre used to attend classes in thatched houses until these were destroyed by a hailstorm last year.

The Likwaterera Early Childhood Development Centre caters to children from marginalised backgrounds.

Even though the Namibian government is doing its best to uplift the standards of living for marginalised communities, much still needs to be done to reach levels of satisfaction. 

Regional Development Planner in the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, Desiree Masheshe, remarked this during an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee to the Omaheke Region.