Namibia

The regulatory framework on old age, disability and survivors, work injury, family allowances and sickness and maternity were all enacted in Namibia before independence in 1990. This is also true for almost all social assistance programmes in Namibia except for the Disability Grant that started in 1995. The Old-Age Pension is the oldest social assistance programme in Namibia. It aims to prevent poverty by providing income security to the elderly population. In 2010, the programme had 150,000 participants. In 2014, the monthly cash transfer received by the participants was valued at US$103.46. The Child Maintenance Grant and Foster Care Grant began in 1960 and as at 2015, the programme paid a minimum of US$43.65 every month to support disabled children under the age of 16 and care for children under foster parenting, respectively. Namibia has a national coordination agency in place that is responsible for managing programmes and coordinating government efforts. The government of Namibia fully funds its social assistance programmes and as at 2014, the social assistance expenditure was 3.11 percent of GDP, translating to social assistance spending of US$0.75 per poor person per year.