Are social protection grants alleviating poverty among vulnerable groups in Namibia? – The case of older persons and persons with disabilities

Abstract

The current discussions in the literature related to social protection grants are general. The lack of specificity inhibits targeted interventions. This study aimed to explore whether, and how, social protection as a financial aid in the form of grants, assists in alleviating poverty (absolute poverty) among older persons and persons with disabilities in Namibia. An interpretive paradigm was followed to obtain real issues shaped by human experiences. Qualitative methodology was employed and semi-structured interviews were used as a tool for data collection. Applying the social contract theory, it was found that, even though social protection in the form of grants assists in taking care of expenses for both groups, absolute poverty is still existent as the funds do not fully cater for basic needs including food, municipal bills, rent, and medical costs. This is because grants for the two vulnerable groups studied in the paper are not regularly adjusted so as to keep up with inflation, for instance. This challenges the concept of “adaptive social protection”. Policymakers should, therefore, re-evaluate policies meant to serve groups considered as vulnerable.