Erongo: Substance abuse, unemployment, family instability, and poor mental health remain among the biggest threats to community wellbeing in the Erongo Region, social development experts said on Monday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Namibia continues to grapple with an official unemployment rate of 36.9 percent and youth unemployment of 44.7 percent. These concerns were raised during a public discussion hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology's Erongo Regional Government Information Centre under the theme 'Strengthening Community Wellbeing: Promoting Positive Parenting, Dignified Ageing and Social Responsibility.'

Chief Social Worker in the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Erongo, Audrey Gases, expressed that community wellbeing extends beyond the absence of disease and includes physical, emotional, mental, and social wellness supported by accessible services and strong support networks. "It is about ensuring that every individual has access to services and opportunities that support their overall functioning and quality of life," she said.

Gases warned that substance abuse, relationship breakdowns, unemployment, and low-paying jobs are major social challenges, contributing to stress, depression, domestic violence, crime, and social instability. "If people do not have their basic needs met, it affects how they function as individuals, how families operate, and ultimately how communities function. Financial insecurity often creates a cycle of stress, substance abuse, and criminal behaviour," she said.

The latest Labour Force Survey shows that 320,442 Namibians were unemployed in 2023, while the broader measure, which includes discouraged job seekers, places unemployment at 54.8 percent (over 30 percent in Erongo).

Psychological counsellor in the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, Marcella Katjiova, said children are often the hardest hit by social and economic challenges within families. She said exposure to domestic violence, alcohol abuse, neglect, and unstable home environments negatively affects children's emotional wellbeing, behaviour, and academic performance. "When children are forced to take on adult responsibilities at home, they arrive at school exhausted and unable to focus on learning," Katjiova said, noting that trauma and inadequate support systems often manifest through aggression, withdrawal, self-harm, and poor academic results.

She urged parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives, saying positive parenting strengthens resilience. The discussion also highlighted the need to protect older persons from neglect, financial abuse, and isolation. The experts reminded the public that Namibia's Maintenance Act obliges adult children to support elderly parents unable to care for themselves.