A/HRC/24/41/Add.1 65. The distances that children must travel to attend schools presents another major barrier to education. Schools are in many cases located far away from the student’s home community, and public transportation is costly and provided irregularly. In order to facilitate access to schools for San children from remote areas, the Government has established school hostels. But the Special Rapporteur heard of several problems associated with these hostels, including bullying and poor living conditions. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur observed the dire conditions of the school hostel at the Seringkop resettlement farm, where approximately 40 boy and girl students were housed in two makeshift corrugated tin and canvas structures behind the school. 66. Another way that the Government has sought to provide access to education in remote areas is through the establishment of mobile schools. The National Policy Options for Educationally Marginalised Children recommends the use of mobile schools for Himba learners in the Kunene Region as a way to address the challenges resulting from their seminomadic lifestyle, in which they move with their livestock depending on available pasture lands and water. Yet, Himba representatives reported that the conditions of mobile schools have deteriorated significantly since the Government of Namibia has taken over management of the schools from outside sponsors. 67. The Special Rapporteur heard alarming reports that San girls have suffered sexual abuse by teachers. He was also informed that principals and teachers have turned away teenage mothers who wished to return to school after their children had reached a certain age. D. Health 68. Similar to education, health care in Namibia prior to independence was provided along racial lines, with the white minority receiving markedly better care than the black majority, who had little or no access to doctors and hospitals, particularly in communal land areas. Since independence, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has focused on providing health care to all Namibians, which more recently has included a shift of resources to “disadvantaged regions” – areas where historical deprivation of health services has resulted in greater health-care needs.22 This shift includes the delivery of basic services through clinics, mobile health teams and community health-care providers.23 69. Disaggregated data on the health situation in Namibia is scarce. However, available statistics indicate a problematic health situation of marginalized groups, especially in rural areas. San and other indigenous people have been denied medical treatment or expelled from hospitals because they are unable to pay for services. San mothers in the Divundu area informed the Special Rapporteur that they had been forced out of hospital facilities the same day they gave birth because they could not afford care. 70. The remote character of many San and Himba groups often aggravates their vulnerabilities with regard to health and health care. Estimates are that over 80 per cent of San live more than 80 km away from any type of health facility. 24 Numerous San community members from different villages told the Special Rapporteur that it is not uncommon for individuals to die while being transported long distances to receive health 22 23 24 Namibia, National Policy on Community Based Health Care (Windhoek, 2008), p. 6. Available from www.lac.org.na/projects/alu/Pdf/cbhcpolicy.pdf. Ibid. Report of the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities on its mission to Namibia, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights at its 38th ordinary session (2005), p. 21. 17