Botswana records progress in gender equality

Staff Writer | Tuesday March 9, 2010 00:00

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Peter Siele made this observation, when he revealed that 45 percent of women currently hold decision-making positions in the country.   He said that Botswana has made a commitment to implement international, regional and national instruments on gender and development that will benefit women and children in the long run. 

He said the education system for instance is accessible to everyone by ensuring primary and secondary education enrolment. 

He also said that health services and programmes have been made available to the majority of women to enhance their progress and contribution in society. Even the laws of the country, said Siele, are continuously reviewed and amended to remove elements that perpetuate gender inequality.

Yesterday, Botswana joined the international community to commemorate and acknowledge the achievement of ordinary women who make a difference, by joining the world in the fight for equality for all in their communities. The day was commemorated under the theme 'Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all'. 

High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia, Hadino Hishongwa said yesterday there has been an increase in the number of women in political decision-making positions in most SADC member states since 2004. 'Five member states have more than 30 percent women representation in parliament,' he said.   He commended SADC on this achievement saying that it has performed well, relative to other countries around the world with an average of women in parliament standing at 24 percent which is higher than the world's percentage of 18.5 percent. 

'However, a lot still needs to be done to realise the 50 percent target as stipulated in the SADC region protocol on gender and development.  He commended the SADC region for legislating against gender-based violence. 

'Relevant legislation in most member states covers a whole range of issues including sexual and domestic violence, sexual harassment and trafficking in persons among others,' he said.  Though human trafficking is recognised and criminalised, it is still not recognised by Botswana laws.

Hishongwa said that although SADC has improved in some issues concerning gender equality, poverty is still prevalent among women and children.   'Women still have limited access to land and security of tenure because of the existence of customary law that operates side by side with statutory law therefore creating mixed tenure systems that often disadvantage women, especially in owning land,' he said.