12 Mar 2025

The former Director of Gender Affairs department, Ms Valencia Mogegeh, has called on women to collaborate and work together on issues affecting women and girls.  Speaking at the commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) in Francistown on Tuesday, Ms Mogegeh emphasised that women are vital contributors to their communities.
She highlighted that IWD serves as a global platform that unifies efforts and drives action towards achieving gender parity.
Ms Mogegeh noted that the day also provides an opportunity to reflect on women’s strengths and successes, as well as their challenges, with the aim of finding solutions.
She urged that the commemoration of IWD should not be a one-day event but rather a continuous engagement and checkpoint for progress. Regarding gender equality, Ms Mogegeh stressed the importance of ensuring that all genders have equal access to development opportunities.
She called on society and communities to dismantle barriers that hinder women’s participation, acknowledging that women have often lagged behind in various sectors.
In her remarks, the District Commissioner for Francistown, Ms Chabongwa Matseka, acknowledged the progress women have made in sectors such as agriculture and business, noting the increasing number of successful female farmers and women in corporate roles.
She expressed pride in the growing representation of women in leadership positions, including CEOs, judges and administrative offices.
However, Ms Matseka pointed out the need for greater female representation in politics, urging women to support one another in political endeavours to increase their numbers in this arena.
“Our challenge is low numbers of women in politics, where laws are made, so we have to remember women when voting since women understand their issues better.
So it will serve well to have high good numbers of women representatives in politics”, she explained.
Ms Matsheka further encouraged women to go for business funding, which can help them to upscale their business to better their lives, as mostly women own small to medium businesses.
She also addressed the issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), highlighting that women and children are often the primary victims, and said it should be condemned at all levels.
 Kgosi Tachenama Maphorisa of Tati Towna reinforced the significance of IWD as a reminder of women’s purpose and contributions to society.
She encouraged women to hold their heads high and recognise their worth, emphasising their unique role in making a difference. Ms Maphorisa urged women to utilise their intelligence and skills in building strong, healthy homes, reminding them of their supportive role alongside men and the importance of fulfilling that role diligently.
The IWD was celebrated under the theme, ‘For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. ENDS