Let's Pool Forces To End Killings

Monitor Editor | Monday October 8, 2018 11:32

Many non-governmental organisations, have over the years pooled their limited resources to fight the GBV scourge, but the war seems to be far from over, as crimes of passion seem to escalating, and murder cases emanating from other circumstances. There seem to be moral degeneration, a problem, which a number of leaders have talked about at great length to no avail.  Where did we go wrong as a society?

Have adults forsaken their duty to be good role models to the youth? It is high time the issue of the ever increasing murder cases in the country is given the due attention it deserves. All need to come together to address this very painful issue, before it spirals out of control.

Different stakeholders, including churches, lobby groups, government, and private companies, tribal administration etc, need to pull together and go to the root courses that lead some members of the society not to respect the sanctity of life

One of the leaders who has tirelessly talked against issues of GBV, and moral degeneration is former Tati Town Customary Court president, Margaret Mosojane.  In one of her speeches in 2016, Mosojane urged tertiary institutions to incorporate GBV and good decision-making in their curriculum to enable students to learn how to make wiser decisions.

She said alcohol abuse, unplanned pregnancies, cohabitation, poverty and poor decision-making contribute to the escalating cases of violence. This is just one of the many speeches she has given at many different events, meant to sensitise and educate the nation about GBV. 

Mosojane is not the only one as many organisations including Gender Links, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and many others have over the years been active in addressing one of the biggest human rights violations in the world - GBV.  President Mokgweetsi Masisi has also taken a lead in condemning GBV, and violent crimes that often lead to murder, which is a good sign, that the government is committed to tackle the issue of GBV.

Since, the strategies applied to tackle the issue of violent crimes which lead to many loosing their doesn’t seem to have bore fruits, perhaps it is time all stakeholders start brainstorming on other ways to tackle the issue.

Times have changed, and we all need to move with them. Most Batswana still don’t believe in seeking counselling, and sadly, this might be yet another way of tackling issues of excessive anger that sometimes lead to people taking other people’s lives. Let’s embrace counselling, and stop shaming those who seek help.