The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) NGO Working Group, comprising Botswana Council of NGOs (BOCONGO), DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, Kuru Family of Organisations, Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LeGaBiBo) and MISA – Botswana Chapter and Rainbow Identity Association (RIA), are concerned that the Botswana government and the United Nations (UN) in Botswana are engaged in processes concerning the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) without the strategic engagement of civil society organisations. To date, three (3) NHRI Benchmarking Missions have been undertaken to Ghana, Namibia and Tanzania. This was done without the inclusion of civil society, as stakeholders during the preparatory processes for the Missions or as members of the delegations on the Missions.
Between 2015 and 2016 the NHRI Benchmarking Missions for delegations of the Botswana government and the UN in Botswana, were undertaken to benchmark human rights institutions in Ghana, Namibia and Tanzania. The purpose of their visits was to share lessons learned in the area of Human Rights, which will facilitate the establishment of the NHRI in Botswana.
