No 'sex workers' in Botswana law books

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Friday February 22, 2008 00:00

Prostitution is illegal in Botswana. This week, the Minister of Justice, Defence and Security, Phandu Skelemani told Parliament that 'we do not have the word sex worker in any of our statutes'. Skelemani was responding to a question from the MP for Mahalapye East, Botlhogile Tshireletso who wanted him to state the number of reported sex workers in the country. 

'But I assume the honourable member refers to what is commonly referred to as prostitutes.

'Worth noting is the fact that we do not keep a register for such people', said Skelemani. 'However, we do have instances where some women have been charged with either common nuisance, idle and disorderly persons or being rogues and vagabonds. These are offences committed by any person against sections 176, 179 and 182 of the Penal Code,' Skelemani said.

He said a study done by the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) identified the following towns and villages with the highest number of sex workers: Francistown 250, Mochudi 48, Palapye 180, Selebi-Phikwe 250 and Tlokweng 130. Skelemani also gave a list of villages and towns where women were charged by the police with various offences against the stated laws. Gaborone (Broadhurst) was leading with 1,031, offences followed by Francistown with 221 and then Mogoditshane. Other areas include Serowe and Maun and Selebe-Phikwe.

Skelemani said three studies have been done on sex work in Botswana. One of these by Peggy Ntseane in 2003 was on needs assessment for women sex workers in Tlokweng.

The minister said all three studies attribute sex work to poor education, failure of male partners to provide for their partners or families and it also includes poverty. 

The studies indicate that most women in the trade are single parents, the unemployed and in some cases orphans. There are, however, incidents of participation of women who are engaged in other forms of employment. 

Skelemani said the studies have provided information on sex work as a problem to be addressed. 

He said it is obvious from these reports that economic empowerment is required for the vulnerable groups. 

He told Parliament that the government Women's Affairs Division, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have made initiatives to help a group of youth in Tlokweng to exit sex work through an economic empowerment project.

He added that there are also organisations around the country that are working towards weaning sex workers from the streets but without much success because 'the organisations are financially challenged'. 

The organisations are Nkaikela, Matshelo Development Association and Itsoseng Bana in Tlokweng, Francistown and Palapye.