Namibia

Since its independence in 1990, Namibia has been making significant progress towards fulfilling the rights of its citizens, especially women and children. Social services have been strengthened and progressive social policies have been implemented. Namibia has also made progress towards many of the Millennium Development Goals. However, the severity of the AIDS pandemic threatens recent improvements in infant and child survival and health.

Approximately 230,000 people in Namibia are HIV-positive. The HIV prevalence rate for youth aged 15 to 19 is 10 per cent, and the rate for 20 to 24 year olds is 19 per cent. With nine per cent of pregnant women being HIV positive, 3,500 to 4,000 children are infected with HIV through mother-to-child transmission each year.

To reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS in Namibia, UNICEF is supporting critical services directed towards women, children, adolescents and young people. Since 1998, the “My Future is My Choice” peer education programme developed by UNICEF, the government of Namibia and the University of Maryland School of Medicine has reached more than 130,000 young people with support and information about HIV/AIDS and reproductive health and is now part of the high school curriculum. Transmission rates among 20 to 24 year olds, many of whom would have taken the “My Future is My Choice” programme, are dropping.

UNICEF is working towards the prevention of mother-to-child transmission through training of health care workers and developing training materials. In addition, UNICEF is providing special protection for vulnerable children and those orphaned by AIDS by supporting Village Care Points which provides care to marginalized children.