17 Mar 2025

Women and girls are not just the future leaders and change makers, they are also catalysts for a lasting change in communities.

Boteti West MP, Mr Sam Digwa said during commemoration of Boteti District international women’s day in Mmadikola recently that it was therefore important to empower them.

He stated that empowering women and girls involved access to quality education healthcare, economic opportunities and safe spaces where they could grow and thrive without fear of discrimination or violence.

Botswana, he said, had witnessed a troubling surge in gender-based violence (GBV), with women and girls bearing the brunt as victims. He said the crimes were deeply painful and disturbing, reflecting a grim reality that demanded urgent attention.

The legislator said whilst efforts were made to address GBV, there should be thorough investigation into the root causes of the acts, which appeared to stem from deeper issues within human behaviour and societal structures.

Mr Digwa said addressing GBV clearly required not only immediate responses, but also a deeper understanding of its underlying drivers, to create lasting solutions.

Practices such as polygamous relationships and lobola, whilst deeply rooted in tradition, also inadvertently contributed to the perpetuation of GBV, he said, adding that the practices, though not inherently harmful, required careful re-evaluation to ensure they aligned with the principles of equality and human rights.

Mr Digwa stated whilst preservation of traditions was important, it must be ensured that they did not come at the expense of equality and dignity.

“Let us work together as communities, leaders and policymakers to create an environment where uplifts rather than oppresses,” he said.

Alcohol and drug abuse, he noted, was another big concern in Boteti District, as it was reported to be a significant factor contributing to GBV, particularly in the context of domestic violence and intimate partner violence. He indicated that in more than half of GBV cases, perpetrators were said to had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The MP said statistics indicated that 270 cases of GBV were registered in 2023 whilst in 2024 they were 226. The leading offence in 2023 was rape with 124 reported cases, the second major offence was defilement with 90 cases, murder and attempts were reported at 13, whilst threats to kill were 19, and 143 cases were referred to social workers for inquiry, he said.

As an intervention measure to fight defilement, children in need of protection, he said, were housed at boarding schools temporarily whilst a longer term resolution was being sought.

He said Letlhakane Child Friendly Centre in partnership with social and community development designed a database to monitor cases pending social worker enquiry reports and to help prioritise cases according to their age.

Teenage pregnancy, he said, was another challenge in the district and that showed that women were not at equal footing with men when it came to economy gains, adding that 76 teenage pregnancies were recorded in 2024.

Mr Digwa stated that Children’s Act of 2009, played a critical role in safeguarding the rights of children in Botswana as it was designed to protect children from abuse and exploitation.
He said efforts were made by government to address abuse of women and children. The Domestic Violence Act of 2008, provided protection to victims of domestic violence and ensured that perpetrators were held accountable.

For his part the Principal Programmes Officer Mr Mbiganyi Magina said the objectives of women’s day was to celebrate social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day he said also marked a call for reflection, unity, advocacy and action to accelerating gender parity.

Mr Magina said it was necessary to create an enabling environment in which women’s rights were recognised as an indispensable part of human rights and where women and men have the same opportunities to realise their full potential.

The commemoration was held under theme: For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment, which Mr Magina said called for action that could unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a future where no one was left behind. ENDS