22 Jun 2015

Kgosi Oscar Mosielele of Moshupa in the Southern District has discouraged women fromt attending kgotla meetings wearing trousers and miniskirts, stating that the practice was a violation of Setswana culture.

Kgosi Mosielele raised the concern during commemoration of the Day of the African Child in Moshupa recently. He said it had become a habit for women to come to the kgotla wearing pants and exposing parts of their bodies in front of elders. He expressed worry that girls were copying the behaviour. 

He threatened to send women who come to his kgotla in trousers home to change into dresses and shawls. He said Batswana had to fight against the erosion of their culture.

About the theme of day, Years After Adopting the Children’s Charter: Accelerating Our Collective Efforts to End Child Marriage in Africa, Kgosi Mosielele said child marriage denied the girl child the right to education.

He said the practice condemned the child to toil in domestic slavery and physical isolation in the husband’s marital home. He observed that child brides were disempowered, vulnerable and exploited. 

Kgosi indicated that child marriage negatively impacted the socio-economic development of regions, nations and global stability. 

A student from Kgabophuti Primary School who was representing other students, Obonye Gaobowe, said millions of girls in Africa who married before age 18 were more likely to have few or no years of schooling, reside in poorer and rural areas, be victims of physical and sexual violence, have their right to free movement restricted, and be denied access to health and social services.

‘’Ending child marriage is a global good. It can lessen the burden on countries’ health infrastructure and mitigate the human footprint of resource-poor countries in Africa. It can reduce human suffering, recognise human dignity and challenge gender-based discrimination. Ultimately, ending child marriage frees up untapped human resources and enables girls and women to contribute meaningfully to development,” she said. 

Moshupa sub-council deputy chairman Mr Peter Sethibe explained that the persistence of child marriage in Africa revolves around the gender blindness of male policymakers, weakness of child protection and human rights agencies, and the persistence of culture and tradition in the context of state fragility.

Mr Sethibe said against this background, pushing through a policy to end child marriage is an uphill struggle. He said all African countries are faced with the challenge of child marriage, a harmful traditional practice that robs girls of their education, health and future.  ENDS