talk presenter, nyhq hiv/aids unit9-sep-15 orphans in namibia urgent action for children on the...

Talk Presenter, NYHQ HIV/AIDS Unit Apr 19, 2023

Orphans in Namibia

Urgent Action for Children on the Brink

Apr 19, 2023

Talk title (change in slide master)

The Presenter, NYHQ HIV/AIDS Unit

Estimates on people living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia, 2001

• Number of people living with HIV/AIDS– Adults (15-49): 200,000– Adult rate: 22.5 %

– Women (15-49): 110,000– Children (0-14): 30,000

• Number of deaths due to AIDS– Deaths in 2001: 13,000

Source: Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, UNAIDS, 2002

Apr 19, 2023



Deaths among young adults (in thousands), 2005-2010, Namibia

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

0-4 5-14 15-34 35-49 50-64 65+

Nu

mber

of

Death

s

Without AIDS With AIDS

Source: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2000 Revision

Apr 19, 2023



Life Expectancy, 1990 - 2010, Namibia

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010

Years

With Without AIDS

Source: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2000 Revision

Apr 19, 2023



Number of orphans under age 15 Namibia, 1990-2010

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

1990 1995 2001 2005 2010

AIDS

Non-AIDS

Source: Children on the Brink, 2002, UNICEF, UNAIDS, USAID

Apr 19, 2023



Percent of orphans under age 15

by year and cause, Namibia, 1990-2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

1990 1995 2001 2005 2010

AIDS

Non-AIDS

(%

)


Apr 19, 2023



Number of double orphans is increasing due to HIV/AIDS, Namibia

•HIV/AIDS is rapidly increasing the number of orphans who have lost both parents. Once one parent has acquired HIV, the other is highly likely to also become infected and eventually die.

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

1990 1995 2001 2005 2010

AIDS

Non-AIDS


Apr 19, 2023



COPING MECHANISMS

Key determinants of orphan needs:

•Age and sex of child

•Gender of head of household

•Size of the household

•Age of guardian

•Relationship of guardian to child

•Number of parents dead

•Proportion of children orphaned in the geographic area

•Inclusion/exclusion of orphaned children in family and community life

•Level of AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

•Access to health education, and social services and safety nets

Adapted from: Hunter, s. & Parry, S., HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care in Resource-Constrained Settings, FHI/USAID, 2001

Apr 19, 2023



Age of orphans…

Orphans in Namibia

Apr 19, 2023



Proportion of children that lost one or both parents

by age, Namibia

DHS

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

(%

)

Age of child

Apr 19, 2023



Proportion of orphans in different age groups,

Namibia

•The number of orphans increases by age rapidly. (As chance of becoming an orphan increases over time/ by age).

0-412%

5-937%

10-1451%

Apr 19, 2023



Proportion of orphans in different age groups,

Namibia

•The majority of orphans who have lost both parents are in the age group 10-14 year old.

0-413%

5-937%

10-1450%

0-411%

5-936%

10-1453%

0-47%

5-928%

10-1465%

Double orphansDouble orphansMaternal orphansMaternal orphansPaternal orphansPaternal orphans

Apr 19, 2023



Where are they…….?

Orphans in Namibia

Apr 19, 2023



78

22

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male headed households Female headed households

Percent of households that are

Male headed/Female headed, Namibia

Nu

mb

er o

f p

eop

le

Apr 19, 2023



1

3542

22

0

20

40

60

80

100

<18 18-34 35-54 55+

Percentage of households by age of head of

households, Namibia

Nu

mb

er o

f p

eop

le

Apr 19, 2023



Percent of single orphans not living with surviving parent, Namibia

Not with father83%

With father17%

Maternal Orphans not with Father

Not with mother49%

With mother51%

Paternal Orphans not with Mother

Apr 19, 2023



Age of head household children live in...

Apr 19, 2023



47

56 57 56

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Non-Orphan Paternal Orphans Maternal Orphans Dual Orphans

Average age of head of household

by parental survival, Namibia

•Orphaned children tend to live in households with older caretakers.

Ag

e (Y

ear

s)

Apr 19, 2023



16

711

28 27

15

39

24

0

20

40

60

80

100

% of % of households with childrenhouseholds with children that are taking that are taking care of one or more orphans by gender and age care of one or more orphans by gender and age

of head of household, Namibiaof head of household, Namibia

AllAll 55+55+35-5435-5418-3418-34

Male headed householdsMale headed households Female headed householdsFemale headed households

AllAll 18-3418-34 35-5435-54 55+55+

Per

cen

t (%

)

Age of head of householdAge of head of household

Apr 19, 2023



104

8

20 22

11

33

20

0

20

40

60

80

100

% of % of all householdsall households taking care of one or more taking care of one or more orphans by gender and age of head of household, orphans by gender and age of head of household,

NamibiaNamibia

AllAll 55+55+35-5435-5418-3418-34

Male headed householdsMale headed households Female headed householdsFemale headed households

AllAll 18-3418-34 35-5435-54 55+55+

Per

cen

t (%

)

Age of head of householdAge of head of household

Apr 19, 2023



Percent of children living in female headed households, Namibia

Male50%

Female50%

Male49%

Female51%

Male55%

Female45%

Male30%

Female70%

non-orphans Double orphansMaternal orphansPaternal orphans

•Different societies have different t coping systems in which families & communities take care of children that lost their mother/father or both parents.

Apr 19, 2023



Distribution of orphans in household (<15) by age of head of household, Namibia

18-3411%

35-5436%

55+53%

<150.1%

15-170.1%

% of all orphans in specific agegroup head of HH

Apr 19, 2023



81%

57%

72%

10%

17%

13%

4%

19%

10%

3%

3%

3%

2%

3%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Male headedhouseholds

Female headedhouseholds

All households

Non-orphan living with at least one parentFoster children Paternal orphans Maternal orphans Dual orphans

Percent of children that are orphaned in households (<15) by gender of head of household,

Namibia

Apr 19, 2023



16%

74%

74%

44%

79%

19%

16%

41%

2%

5%

7%

10% 4%

2%

2%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

<18*

18-34

35-54

55+

Non-orphan living with at least one parentFoster children Paternal orphans Maternal orphans Dual orphans

Percentage of children that are orphaned in households (<15) by age of head of household,

Namibia

*The “<18” age group is a *The “<18” age group is a very small sample (<50 very small sample (<50

households)households)

Apr 19, 2023



Size of household children live in…

Apr 19, 2023



7.8 7.5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Non-Orphan Dual Orphans

Average size of household by parental survival,

Namibia

Nu

mb

er o

f p

eop

le

Apr 19, 2023



Size of household by parental survival and gender of head of household, Namibia

8.1

7.3

8.2

6.7

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Male headed household Female headed household

Non-Orphan Dual Orphans

•Orphans live in general in larger households.•The average household size for female headed households is smaller than male headed households.

Nu

mb

er o

f p

eop

le

Apr 19, 2023



Who’s caring for the orphans?

Apr 19, 2023



Who takes care of orphans?Relationship of double orphans with head of household they live in,

Namibia

Grandchild 52%

Brother/ sister 7%

Other relative 27%

Adopted/ foster child 4%

Not related 10%

Apr 19, 2023



Regional Differences…

Apr 19, 2023



Residence of orphans, Namibia

Percentage of children living in rural areas

7581 84

73

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dual Orphan MaternalOrphan

PaternalOrphan

Non-Orphan

Apr 19, 2023



Wealth Index

Apr 19, 2023



Wealth Index

Percentage of children living in households with different incomes according to whether their parents are alive, Namibia

0

10

20

30

40

Poorest Second Middle Fourth Richest

Double Orphans Maternal Orphans Paternal Orphans Non-Orphans

(%

) Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



•School attendance

•Child labour

•Nutritional Status (underweight)

Impact / Vulnerability

Apr 19, 2023



889289

94

0

20

40

60

80

100

Boys Girls

Non Orphans All Orphans Column 3

Paternal Orphans Maternal Orphans Double Orphans

School attendance (1)Proportion of children aged 10-14 who are still in school according to

whether their parents are alive and by gender (child), Namibia

Apr 19, 2023



9688

94 91

0

20

40

60

80

100

Urban Rural



School attendance (2)Proportion of children aged 10-14 who are still in school according to whether their parents are alive and by location (urban/rural), Namibia

Apr 19, 2023



0

20

40

60

80

100


Non-Orphans All Orphans

School attendance (3)Proportion of children aged 10-14 who are still in school according to whether

their parents are alive and by gender (head of household), Namibia

Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Boys Girls



Child labour (1)Proportion of children involved in child labour according to whether

their parents are alive and by gender (child), Namibia

•Child labour is defined here as economic activity or 4 or more hours of household chores per day

Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Urban Rural



Child labour (2)Proportion of children involved in child labour according to whether

their parents are alive and by location (urban/rural), Namibia


Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


Non-Orphans All Orphans

Child labour (3)Proportion of children involved in child labour (UNICEF definition) according to whether their parents are alive and by gender (head of household), Namibia


Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



0

10

20

30

40

50 Non-Orphans All Orphans

UnderweightPercent of children aged 0-4 who are underweight according to

whether their parents are alive, Namibia

(%

)

Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



Stigma & Discrimination…

Apr 19, 2023



0

25

50

75

100

15-24 25-49

Discrimination Percent of women who express a positive attitude towards people

living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), Namibia

(%)

•Stigma & discrimination is still common towards people living with HIV/AIDS.•The large majority of respondents did not express a positive attitude towards PLWHA. Serious efforts need to be undertaken by national and community leaders to challenge the stigma and eliminate the shame associated with HIV/AIDS.

Data not available

Apr 19, 2023



Data collection

Apr 19, 2023



Questionnaire (DHS/MICS)

•Is FATHER alive?

-> if YES -> Does FATHER live here?

•Is MOTHER alive?

-> if YES -> Does MOTHER live here?

Apr 19, 2023



Results/Tabulation

% distribution of children 0-14 years old:

•Living with both parents

•Living with mother, but not father-Father alive-Father dead

•Living with father, but not mother-Mother alive-Mother dead

•Not living with either parent-Both alive-Mother alive, father dead-Mother dead, father alive-Both dead

Apr 19, 2023



Limitations of data presented

•Other vulnerable children, including those with ill parents are excluded

•Street children & children in institutions and probably some child headed households are not included

•No info on children 15-17 years old

•Issues related to property rights of orphans/inheritance not considered in surveys

•No info on psycho-social issues (loneliness, fear, depression & sadness)

•Data is mainly at household level, limited info on community dynamics (support from community groups, neighbours, etc.)

talk presenter, nyhq hiv/aids unit9-sep-15 orphans in namibia urgent action for children on the...

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