We have many names for what we perceive as the different stages of life. In Namibia,
people refer to children, adolescents, learners, the youth, majors, minors, adults and
elders – amongst other terms.
Looking only at government, we have the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare
which takes responsibility for children aged 0–18, continuing up to 21 if they are still
in school.1
The Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture which defines
youth as persons aged 15–35.2
Our National Policy on Orphans and Vulnerable Children
defines an orphan as “a child who has lost one or both parents because of death and
is under the age of 18 years” and a vulnerable child as “a child who needs care and
protection”.3
Our National Policy for Reproductive Health defines adolescent as a person
aged 10–19, and youth as persons aged 19–30.4
The Namibian Constitution has no definition of child, but refers in individual provisions
to “children” of up to age 14 or 16.5
Across Africa, constitutional provisions refer to
children in a variety of ways, using terms such as minors, young persons, youth and
infants.
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So who exactly is a child? And at what age should a child become a major?