Editorial – Angolan street children crisis requires lasting solutions

The continued presence of Angolan children begging on Namibian streets is not only distressing from a child welfare perspective but also raises broader concerns about child protection, regional cooperation and the effectiveness of existing interventions. It also raises a concerns over the influence their existence in the Namibian streets may have on a Namibian child. 

For years, the media has highlighted the plight of Angolan children who roam Namibian streets selling wooden crafts and begging for money or food. While questions were initially raised about their nationality, with Angolan authorities at one point disputing claims that the children were Angolan citizens, reports indicate that many of them can be traced to southern Angola, particularly the Cunene, Huíla and Namibe provinces, based on their language, cultural practices and traditional attire.

It is believed that many of these children are among thousands of Angolans who crossed into Namibia during the severe drought that affected southern Angola between 2019 and 2021, leading to widespread food shortages and displacement. Their official numbers are estimated to be between 150 and 200, but they are obviously more that that .

Last year, Namibia repatriated many of these children to Angola, where they were reportedly resettled in camps in Cunene Province. However, reports later emerged alleging that some children died due to inadequate food supplies and poor living conditions at these facilities. Many of the children have since returned to Namibia and are once again ‘back in business’, visible on the streets. This demonstrates that repatriation alone is not a sustainable solution. Both governments must therefore develop long-term interventions that address the root causes of the problem.

Children as young as three years old are observed wandering the streets of northern towns in the Oshana, Omusati and Ohangwena regions, often without parental supervision. Increasingly, they have also been seen all over Windhoek and gone as far afield as the Omaheke and Hardap regions, all seemingly in search of better living conditions.

The safety of these children should be a matter of serious concern. Namibia has, over the years, grappled with cases of missing and murdered children. Given that many of these Angolan children are undocumented and operate outside formal protection systems, it may be impossible to determine when one goes missing or falls victim to abuse, either in Namibia or upon returning to Angola.

Equally troubling are concerns relating to child labour and exploitation. 

Questions remain as to whether these children are acting independently or whether adults are orchestrating their activities for financial gain. If the latter is true, it would constitute a serious violation of children’s rights and potentially amount to human trafficking.

Another pressing issue is education. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), adopted in 1989, recognises every child’s right to education, protection from abuse and exploitation, and access to essential services. Both Namibia and Angola are signatories to this convention and therefore share a responsibility to uphold these rights. This raises important questions: Who is responsible for ensuring that these children receive an education? Who is accountable for protecting them from neglect, abuse and exploitation?

It is time, rather than shifting responsibility between the two countries, Namibia and Angola should strengthen bilateral cooperation on child protection, social welfare programmes and border management. The apparent ease with which these children return to Namibia after repatriation suggests significant gaps in cross-border monitoring and intervention mechanisms.

It is particularly concerning that children can move across borders and through checkpoints without identification or adequate oversight. This raises questions about the effectiveness of existing border controls and whether the families of these children are aware of their whereabouts and circumstances.

While these children may not meet the legal criteria for refugee status, that should not absolve either government of its responsibility to protect them. A lasting solution is urgently needed, not only for the wellbeing of the children themselves but also for Namibia’s commitment to child protection and human rights.

Yes, Namibia is already faced with its own challenges regarding vulnerable children, poverty alleviation, access to education, healthcare and social grants. Nevertheless, ignoring the presence of Angolan street children is neither assisting nor sustainable. Their existence on Namibian streets cannot simply be normalised.

The reality is that these children are in Namibia, and their numbers are likely to increase if both governments fail to address the underlying causes of their migration and vulnerability.

There are also growing concerns about the potential influence on local children. Reports have emerged of Namibian children skipping school to beg on the streets, sometimes pretending to be of Angolan descent. If left unchecked, this trend could undermine efforts to keep children in school and protect them from exploitative situations.

Ultimately, this issue extends beyond immigration or border management. It is a humanitarian and child protection crisis requiring coordinated, and practical responses from both Namibia and Angola.