07 Apr 2025

The Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Ms Lesego Chombo has said the number one priority in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) is to prevent it from occurring.

Delivering a keynote address during the Inaugural United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) Trinity anti-GBV workshop in Gaborone on Saturday, Ms Chombo said it was important to promote and create awareness about ways to prevent GBV rather than to react once the violence or death had occurred. “The priority is to prevent and this is why we say the individual commitment and participation in combating GBV plays a much more bigger role, because this scourge is getting worse,” she said.

She commended UCCSA Trinity for organising the anti-GBV workshop, which was preceded by a walk and encouraged the church to cascade the message to the young ones in Sunday school.

By being intentional about the lessons they teach and the culture they inculcate in children in Sunday school, she said the church would contribute positively toward gender equality and GBV fight.

Minister Chombo said the church had so much power to influence, shape and build the society. “Because our spirituality is the very essence of our being and our spirituality guide us, can we use this power to teach our children about equality and let us also teach our young boys about vulnerability and positives about masculinity,” she added.

Furthermore, Ms Chombo said it was also through a multi-sectoral approach and gender mainstreaming strategy that the fight against GBV and promotion of gender equality to address inequalities could be achieved.

She also expressed concern that some cultural and societal norms and practices had been deliberately twisted to negatively influence perceptions that perpetuated violence.

Giving a police perspective and envisaged solutions, Botswana Police Service (BPS) Commissioner Ms Dinah Marathe said GBV was fuelled by deep-seated cultural challenges, economic hardships and abuse of substances, among others.

“Women and children are brutally murdered and raped by the people who are supposed to be their protectors,” she said.

She expressed concern that GBV had become a persistent and growing vile that continued to attack humanity. Ms Marathe reaffirmed BPS’s commitment in ensuring the safety and security of all citizens through prevention and detection of crime, for protection of lives and property. The BPS commissioner said they would continue to ensure provision of all the necessary assistance to afford GBV survivors the safety and confidentiality they deserved.

“We are also intentional in ensuring that GBV reports are attended swiftly and that our services are accessible to all. So, let's come forward and seek for help, our doors are open,” said Ms Marathe.

She said GBV reports could be made at police stations, in person, or via telephone, either disclosing identify or remaining anonymous.

Ms Marathe called upon all individuals and stakeholders to actively participate in the fight against GBV, commending the church for playing an active role in providing better support systems for the survivors.

The church, she said was a critical partner in crime prevention through fostering a culture of love, respectful relationships and mutual support, as it was advantaged to advocate for policy change. ENDS