Chombo announces GBV Bill drafting
Innocent Selatlhwa | Wednesday October 15, 2025 06:00
The minister said the process will unfold parallel to the ongoing review of the Policy on Gender and Development, as well as the ongoing development of the National Gender Strategy, which is a deliberate document detailing specific actions to be undertaken by various sectors in mainstreaming gender.
“In pursuit of the above, the ministry consulted the Parliamentary Caucus on Women to align perspectives. This drafting process will entail comprehensive consultations with Batswana to guide the contents of this groundbreaking bill. We therefore look forward to your input,” she stated.
Chombo further thanked the World Bank and other development partners for their continued partnership and support. She said she and her ministry remain committed to attaining gender equality and creating an enabling environment for a safer Botswana.
The bill is expected to bring tougher sentencing, introduce clearer reporting protocols, expand access to victim services, and provide stronger safeguards for vulnerable groups.
The bill will seek to empower survivors of GBV to make representations prior to the court’s determination on bail, subject to their presence at bail hearings.
Botswana is consistently ranked amongst the worst countries globally for reported GBV in non-conflict settings. More than 67% of women in Botswana have experienced abuse, more than double the global average. More than 44% of men in Botswana admit to being perpetrators of violence.
Recognising the scale of this crisis, the National Gender Commission (NGC) convened an emergency consultative forum on January 14, 2025. Over 100 participants from civil society, government, and the UN gathered to discuss tangible solutions to make a meaningful impact within 200 days.
Key recommendations included lobbying the President to declare GBV a national emergency, akin to the approaches taken during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. Such a declaration would frame GBV as a national priority, necessitating immediate, coordinated action.
Practical measures suggested included: Enacting an anti-GBV Act and review existing laws to ensure consistency and alignment with human rights; Define GBV broadly, encompassing physical, psychological, and online abuse, as well as human trafficking; Establish a centralised, real-time registry of GBV data, potentially led by Statistics Botswana, and develop a GBV scorecard to track progress; and Ensure clear accountability mechanisms, such as oversight by the Auditor General or Ombudsman.
In a classic case showing the need for reforms, a GBV victim, Pearl Montsho, recently pleaded with the court to 'release' her 'man' despite the state's claim that she is being abused.
The victim vouched for the accused, Keipeile Stoffel, a prosecutor based in Lobatse, who was under police custody and was released on bail, allegedly telling the court that physical fights between the pair are a normality, especially after drinking alcohol.
A viral video had circulated on social media, showing the accused Stoffel assaulting his girlfriend in front of minor children.
With the public calling for his arrest, Stoffel was arrested and was arraigned before the Broadhurst Magistrate's Court.
He has been slapped with three counts: one for ill-treatment of children and two common assaults.
On the first count, it is alleged that the accused hit Montsho with a stick all over the body. The second common assault is that he is said to have assaulted a minor (name withheld) by pressing her on the collarbone. In the last count of ill-treatment, Stoffel is accused of unlawfully exposing minors aged 14, eight, and seven, respectively, to psychosocial distress when assaulting Montsho.
Things took an interesting twist when the defence lawyer called for the victim to take the stand. Her evidence was on camera. It was said that it was then that the victim corroborated to the court that it was normal for the two lovers to fight, especially after drinking alcohol. Stoffel was eventually granted bail.