Breaking the chains of the past: A future for every Motswana child
TUDUETSO KELAPILE | Monday June 23, 2025 09:00
It marks the courage of children who stood against injustice during the Soweto Uprising, but it must also make us reflect: Have we truly dismantled the walls of inequality that kept the children bound? Apartheid was built on systemic racial oppression, where opportunities were reserved for a select few while countless African children were forced to fight for survival in a world that refused to see them. That fight may look different today, but it still exists—no longer dictated solely by race, but by class, geography, and circumstance. A child born in a remote village should not be condemned to a life of limited education, poor healthcare, or insufficient social support simply because of their location or background.
Since 2010, Botswana has made strides in child-sensitive budgeting, yet we must ask—have these policies truly changed the lives of our children? While the 2025/26 national budget introduces free sanitary pads for female students, newborn child grant, and digital access in schools, economic uncertainty looms due to the slowdown in the global diamond market, threatening the sustainability of these programmes.
UNICEF’s reports warn us that without proper tracking and accountability, these promises may remain hollow. The UNICEF 'Too Little, Too Late' report further highlights the dangers of delayed and insufficient investment in children. While Botswana has enacted child-friendly policies, budget allocations often fail to meet urgent needs, leaving vulnerable children without adequate support. The lack of institutionalised child budgeting means that children’s needs are frequently overlooked in broader financial planning, reinforcing disparities based on class, geography, and family background. One of the most concerning gaps is in Early Childhood Education (ECE), where Botswana allocates only 0.3% of its national budget. This minimal investment fails to recognise the critical role of early learning in shaping a child’s future, particularly for those in disadvantaged communities.
Research has consistently shown that quality ECE programmes improve cognitive development, social skills, and long-term educational outcomes, yet Botswana’s funding remains insufficient to ensure universal access. Moreover, children in rural Botswana experience significantly higher levels of deprivation compared to those in urban areas. According to a UNICEF study, one in two children in Botswana faces multidimensional poverty, with rates soaring to 68% in rural areas, compared to 27% in cities and towns. The most deprived children are those living in remote rural areas, particularly in North West, Gantsi, and Central districts. These children often lack access to sanitation, quality education, healthcare, and adequate nutrition, reinforcing cycles of poverty.
Additionally, 70% of children in rural areas are deprived of proper sanitation, making it the most common deprivation. We must do more. We must build budgeting systems that recognise the inherent worth of every child, ensuring resources are allocated not just on paper, but in reality. Strengthening public finance for children, demanding transparency, and ensuring equity in access to education and social welfare must be non-negotiable.
As Botswana joined its continental peers in commemorating the Day of the African Child, let this not be just a reflection, but a reckoning. We cannot afford to let history repeat itself—where exclusion is not dictated by race alone, but by wealth, proximity to urban centres, and family circumstances. The future belongs to every Motswana child, and our choices today will define the world the children inherits tomorrow.