04 Dec 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has applauded women for their role in affairs of the country and that of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

President Khama was speaking at the BDP Women’s general assembly in Mahalapye on Friday (December 2).

He said women made the majority of the population and within the membership of BDP, thus cementing the need to stand up and indicate their willingness to be part of the leadership.

He said he would also do his part to encourage them, especially through the special election process, adding that it was critical for them to be afforded roles within the political sphere.

However, President Khama said this was only possible if women took themselves and the role in politics seriously.

He said women across all sectors of society needed to take responsibility for their own empowerment.

He explained that at government level, the BDP was committed to advancement of women as shown by policies and programmes.

He said this was indicated in the re-organisation of ministries, citing the divided Ministry of  Labour and Home Affairs.

He said within this Ministry there are a number of crucial on-going mechanisms such as the Women’s Economic Empowerment, which aims to develop entrepreneurs.

President Khama said some of the elements achieved through the ministry initiatives included, inter alia, the launching of the Women’s Business Directory with the primary purpose of exposing more women entrepreneurs to available markets.

He noted that 3 000 copies had been printed and about 1 500 distributed to various stakeholders, including Business Botswana.

He also commended the BDP Women’s Wing for their initiatives especially the Paper Brick Project, which was demonstrating a dual effect of employment creation as well as being environmental user friendly.

‘These efforts compliment the aforestated government programs aimed at empowering women, and was also a result of their objective of empowering training within their 10 point Agenda,’ he said.

Furthermore, the President said the event was a historic moment because it ushered them into a new era of both the women’s and youth wings.

President Khama said the women’s general assembly offered another opportunity to stay on the path to further improve BDP.

He noted that they were proud of women of the BDP because they formed part of the backbone of the party.

He said BDP had been triumphant in the past five decades because of the substantial role played by women, therefore as the leader of the party he was looking forward to the outcome of the conference and resolutions which would be presented to the central committee onward transmission to the next National Council.

He appealed to the BDP women to inform others on policies and opportunities availed by the government for all Batswana.

He said women participation in the socio-economic development of the country remained their paramount agenda, adding that the uptake of programmes has also been very encouraging and it was their objective as the BDP to conitune to build a united Botswana where everybody irrespective of gender or origin could play a meaningful role in improving their own lives and that of the broader community as has been the case in the past 50 years.

President Khama reiterated that communication and recruitment was key to their success, therefore they need to amongst others strategise on how they were going to recruit new members into the party.

He encouraged them to use new methodologies and platforms of communication, social media, but also be mindful not to be caught up in unbecoming tendencies of using contemptible language or even attacking their own members. ENDS