Study says Botswana has met MDGs

Lindiwe Mozola | Tuesday January 27, 2015 16:37

Unveiling his study on the Localisation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Professor Keitseope Nthomang of the University of Botswana said Botswana had achieved its social and economic development goals and found a place as a respected member of the international community.

Adopted in 2000, the eight MDGs covering extreme poverty, hunger, disease, shelter, gender-equality, education, health and others, are due to end this year.

“Botswana has reached and surpassed MDG targets and is on track to deliver Vision 2016 goals in several areas including poverty and extreme hunger, education, gender and women empowerment, access to safe drinking and improved sanitation as well as universal access to treatment of HIV,” noted Nthomang.

He said Botswana had surpassed the target of mitigating poverty and improving the quality of life for its citizens, through various social services initiatives.

“To this end, massive investments were made in education, health, housing, water and sanitation and we have seen people being lifted out of poverty. There is ample evidence to suggest that most people benefited from those social services,” he added.

The UB professor said while Botswana was on the right track with the MDGs, there were some niggling challenges such as pockets of poverty, high unemployment among the youth and women, gender-based violence, quality and access to education, as well as problems with HIV/AIDS targets. “These challenges call for local authorities to speak with one voice which is the interest of their citizens at a local level, and without leaders with vision, passion they shall remain as inhibitors,” he said.

The UB academic said the way forward was to build on the successes and address challenges in an innovative and creative manner. He urged authorities to use the opportunities provided in policies such as the new Vision 2016, National Development Plan 11 preparations and other strategic documents of Social Development Goals.