Herbert Jauch findings and broader implications of the Standing Committee on Health, Social Welfare and Labour Affairs

[PODCAST]

We turn our spotlight to a powerful and urgent recommendation recently made by the Standing Committee on Health, Social Welfare and Labour Affairs. The committee has called on the government to extend social grants to citizens who currently fall outside existing safety nets—namely those aged 19 to 59 who aren’t covered by child, old-age, or disability grants.

This follows a compelling report on the outcomes of the Basic Income Grant (BIG) pilot in the Otjivero-Omitara communities, where even a modest monthly grant significantly improved livelihoods—spurring small businesses, boosting school attendance, and creating basic economic resilience.

To help us unpack the findings and broader implications, we were joined by labour research expert Herbert Jauch, a long-time advocate for economic justice and social protection in Namibia.