03 Apr 2016

United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) representative in Botswana, Ms Julianna Lindsey, has hailed the Vision 2036 Council and Ntlo Ya Dikgosi for affording children an opportunity to participate in the formulation of vision 2036. 

Ms Lindsey said this during children’s consultative meeting on vision 2036 at Mogoditshane kgotla on Thursday. 

She highlighted the importance of child participation on important frameworks such as the national vision saying that it was not a common thing generally for countries to seek the involvement of children in the development of national agendas. 

She, however, emphasised that for Botswana having initiated this, was even nobler because it was driven by the custodians of Setswana culture, members of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi with the support of UNICEF. 

Ms Lindsey also noted that in some countries, culture was often used as a barrier to soliciting views and opinions of children on issues of national interest. 

For this, she said “Botswana is such a shining example where the custodians of culture are the ones driving child participation.” 

Nevertheless, Ms Lindsey highlighted that child participation did not mean that children could say whatever they wished and adults had to follow their desires. She said it meant that adults should listen and consider what children had to say. 

Kgosi Malope II explained that  Ntlo Ya Dikgosi played an advisory role on matters of legislation pertaining to tribal law and custom. 

As a result, members of this house are gatekeepers and custodians of cultural norms and values of respective communities and as such, they play an important role in advancing children’s rights especially child participation. 

It is on this note that in 2015, Ntlo Ya Dikgosi with the support from UNICEF conducted a training workshop to capacitate its members to help them better understand child participation and equip them with the necessary information and knowledge so that they can better advocate for positive change pertaining to child participation in their communities and beyond. 

He however expressed concern that some children are involved in social ills such as alcohol and drug abuse.

He also noted that members of the Ntlo Ya Dikgosi are disturbed by the increase in the number of children who are not properly taken care of by parents, resulting in children resorting to wayward behaviours. 

He underscored the need for all parents to play an important role in moulding their children to be responsible citizens. 

He further highlighted that although the government recognises that children can meaningfully participate in decisions that affect them, there is still a lot that needs to be done to ensure meaningful child participation. Expressing their views on how they would like to see Botswana in 2036, members of Children’s Consultative Forum pointed out that at the helm of the vision, they want meaningful participation in every project that government undertakes as well as policy formulation. 

They also put emphasis on cultural values and norms such as Botho, quality and accessible education, proper health facilities and proper infrastructure in schools among others. Ends