Women and the political glass ceiling
Friday, August 07, 2015
Sole voice: Tshireletso (in turquoise dress and hat) is among the few women MPs
Botswana prides itself as a beacon of peace and democracy in Africa, and is ranked well relative to most nations globally. As a result, the landlocked country continues to be highly regarded by the international community.
Despite strides in developmental undertakings, as reflected through provision of universal education, promotion of maternal health, and being the first African country to reduce HIV/AIDS deaths through the rolling out of free Anti-Retroviral Drugs, women in Botswana languish at the bottom of almost every sectoral indicator.
Whilst we join Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) and other stakeholders in commending the rise in top grades, a testament to the unwavering effort of many teachers and pupils, this progress is fundamentally shadowed by a failing that shames our society. The stark, persistent urban-rural divide is not just a statistic, but an active betrayal of thousands of young Batswana.The figures are a damning indictment. When pass rates in...