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 Panelists agreed that indeed the girl-child in Botswana is vulnerable. Speaking at the launch, Boipelo Semere, a member of the Girls Education Movement (GEM) sad it was never easy to be a girl-child.
She stated that a girl-child was discriminated against from birth and throughout her adult life. Semere said all the hardships start at home where the child is required to wake up to make sure the house is cleaned and to prepare food for the whole family. “She is always subjected to rejection from the male relatives, brothers and uncles that see her only as a child bearing tool and part of the kitchen equipment but not as a potential achiever in life,” Semere said.
Programme Coordinator of UNICEF Botswana, Tewabech Bishaw said it was good to focus on the girls’ universal education, gender equality and empowermentof women and the girl-child. These are considered central in providing the next generation with tools to fight poverty and disease. She said that having parity in education will ensure a future in which girls and boys are equally safe, healthy, protected and empowered.
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