Namibia’s social workers’ shortfall at 330

Namibia is currently grappling with an acute shortage of 330 regional social workers, including community liaison officers, administrative officers and support staff, to help deliver equitable social services across the country’s diverse regions.

Gender Equality and Social Welfare Minister Emma Kantema shared the latest figures in Parliament on Thursday, as she provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of Namibia’s social welfare status.

Kantema said the ministry’s regional establishment comprises a total of 807 approved positions, including social workers, community liaison officers, administrative officers, and support staff.

Currently, only 477 of the 807 approved positions are filled, leaving a total of 330 vacancies unoccupied and further widening the existing staffing gap within the sector.

For the 2025/2026 financial year, the ministry specifically allocated N$19 615 041 for 55 social worker posts. However, only 23 of these positions have been successfully filled to date, again reflecting a significant shortfall.

The primary obstacle remains the limited availability of qualified social work graduates in the local labour market.

Additionally, Kantema reported a concerning trend amongst the country’s limited pool of social workers, which is that most of the available social workers mainly prefer urban area postings as opposed to rural areas.

This has resulted in rural and remote areas remaining critically underserved. Despite the increased budget and targeted recruitment efforts, attracting and retaining social workers in isolated communities continues to pose a substantial challenge to the ministry.

Although the ministry remains committed to exploring innovative recruitment and retention strategies to bridge the rural-urban divide and strengthen social support in underserved areas, Kantema said budgetary constraints remain a huge challenge.

She also clarified that the ministry’s approved operational budget for the 2026/27 financial year is N$402 million and not N$455.3 million as earlier suggested by some.

This figure reflects a N$43.537 million decrease compared to the previous year’s budget, representing a notable shortfall amid ongoing fiscal constraints.

“As a result, the reduced budget negatively affects the overall recruitment of staff members in both urban and rural areas. Notwithstanding these budgetary constraints, the ministry continues to provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities for social workers within available resources. These interventions are intended to strengthen staff capacity and support social workers in carrying out their responsibilities effectively,” said Kantema.

She continued: “The ministry, however, has no control over the retention of social workers, as they are in high demand across several institutions, including the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Namibian Correctional Service, the Namibian Police Force and private-sector organisations. This competition for a limited pool of qualified and registered professionals makes it difficult to recruit and retain sufficient social workers.”

This competitive landscape for a limited pool of qualified, registered professionals complicates and ultimately impacts the quality and reach of social services nationwide, stressed the minister.

Social workers in Namibia play an essential role in driving human rights, social justice, and national reconciliation, serving as a critical safety net for vulnerable populations.

They are on the front lines of defence against physical and psychological abuse and explicitly confront crises involving child protection and lack of parental accountability in most local communities.

Working together with ministries, social workers help coordinate and manage vital welfare benefits, special maintenance grants for disabled youth and foster care provisions.

– ohembapu@nepc.com.na

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