09 Apr 2014

Building an environment where women and men can thrive through complementary roles and mutual support for optimisation of their respective potential in their diversity is critical.

The deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Manini Nyathi said in order to achieve sustainable development, there was a need for men and women to work together.

She said building a better society that Batswana could be proud to hand over to their children should not be wrapped in baseless and unhealthy competition.

Speaking during a seminar on women in politics in Gaborone on Tuesday March 8, Ms Nyathi said there was a need to leave a legacy in a mature democracy that testifies to unflinching conviction as well as commitment to ensure women count as much as men in the development discourse.

Ms Nyathi said women’s representation in Parliament was at its lowest, noting that the decline was in contrast to the global trend of an increase in the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments.

To address the issue, she said significant changes were required such as promoting more women to senior positions in political party structures and in administrative positions that would enable the country to reach at least 30 per cent women representation in Parliament and local government.

She noted that the growing population of the poor, especially female headed households and rising inequalities, were causes for concern.

Inequalities, she said, were compounded by disparities in voice and participation in decision making positions, which continue to give men advantage especially in the political arena.

Ms Nyathi noted that the country has achieved unparalleled success in economic development that has led to tangible improvements in people’s lives. She also noted that current efforts to address social development and eradicate abject poverty were yet another milestone in efforts to ensure that all Batswana have improved quality of life and live in dignity.

For her part, the deputy mayor of Gaborone, Ms Florence Shagwa said affirmative action should be applied in political parties and that certain positions should be reserved for women.

The director of the Gender Affairs Department, Ms Valencia Mogegeh said there was a need to consider equalising capacity building between men and women in different organisations and institutions.

A representative of church based  organisations, Ms Agnes Ncaagae raised concern that there were few women in church leadership structures, noting that women were denied positions of bishops and pastors.

Ms Ncaagae noted that women were not allowed to administer sacrament in churches, adding that widows were also excluded from some societal activities. Ends