Namibia’s Disability Spending Falls Below Adequate Levels, UNICEF Reports…15% of Namibians Living with Disabilities

By: Hertha Ekandjo

 

Namibia’s expenditure on disability, although showing an upward trend over the years, has remained relatively low, according to a report released by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Between 2018 and 2023, disability spending averaged below 0.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and below 1.4% of the total budget.

The report highlights the insufficiency of spending across all Offices, Ministries, and Agencies (OMAs) and programs for people with disabilities.

This inadequacy affects the effectiveness of these entities in fulfilling their mandates and the impact of their programs.

UNICEF urges the government to consider increasing spending on disability in line with improvements in the fiscal space.