A call to action against GBV :: Mmegi Online

Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world. The United Nations (UN) estimates that one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime. No country is immune.

The United States (US) struggles with the issue of gender-based violence (GBV). In Botswana, a country rightly known for its history of peace and commitment to the rule of law, women and girls are also victims of violence at alarming rates.

This month, the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security reported during a three-year period between 2012 and 2014 there were more than 6,000 cases of rape against women and girls – that is more than five every day. During the same period, 235 women were murdered and nearly 1,600 cases of defilement against girls under the age of 16 were reported. According to the Botswana Gender-based Violence Indicators Study published in March 2012, 67% of women in Botswana experienced some form of GBV. These numbers only reflect cases where the victim was brave enough to report the crime to police. Studies suggest many cases of GBV go unreported.

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