Namibia: Windhoek Prison Babies – 29 Infants Raised Behind Bars in Six Years Spark Child Welfare Fears

A total of 29 babies have lived behind bars with their mothers at the Windhoek Female Correctional Facility since 2019, sparking serious concerns from child welfare experts about long-term developmental risks.

Ten of the babies raised at the facility between June 2019 and October 2025 were born there and 19 arrived with their mothers, according to the commissioner in charge, Julia Nauvinga.

Nauvinga says some inmate mothers were admitted to the facility while pregnant.

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