25 Sep 2024

The introduction of the legal aid system in Botswana has ushered in a new era for women in accessing justice.

This was said by the Women’s Sector coordinator, Mr Lentswe Motsamai, at a two-day induction workshop for district gender committee nominees in Francistown on Tuesday.

Mr Motsamai said before the legal aid, it was difficult for many women in Botswana to access justice.

“The introduction of legal aid in Botswana has increased access to justice for many women. This shift is a testament to the power of legal aid in empowering the marginalised groups and ensuring a fair and just legal system for all,” he said.

He stated that for many years, women in Botswana had faced many barriers to access justice, mainly due to lack of legal representation as a result of financial constraints.

“In this regard, the introduction of the legal aid system has finally begun to dismantle these barriers, empowering women to fight for their rights and claim their place in a just society,” he said.

The National Gender Commissioner, Reverend Bonolo Mmereki-Burns said gender equality was vital in all societies, including Botswana for several reasons, particularly in the modern context. She said gender equality was significant in economic and social development, health and well-being as well as political representation.

She commended Botswana for being a signatory to the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, which aimed to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Southern African region.

She explained that having signed the protocol in 2018, Botswana committed to advancing gender equality in all sectors, including education, health, politics and economics.

“The protocol outlines specific actions and targets that member states should work towards to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment,” she added. Acting Senior Gender Officer, Ms Maipelo Mogatwane said the aim of the workshop was to capacitate committee members on gender and development and how they can influence gender mainstreaming in their sectors.

Ms Mogatwane said the workshop also aimed to equip committee members with tools to deepen their awareness and understanding of gender equality.

“We also wanted to provide a platform for civil society organisations, key stakeholders and policy makers through which knowledge and experience on Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention can be shared,” she said. ENDS