06 Apr 2017

Gender Based Violence (GBV) has resulted in unplanned pregnancy resulting in most women opting for unsafe abortion and putting their lives in danger.

The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said despite the prevailing laws that prohibited abortion in Botswana, abortion was on the rise and most prevalent in Francistown and Selebi Phikwe.

Speaking at a GBV workshop organised by THC Foundation recently, Ms Tshireletso said even though Botswana had not legalised abortion, such cases were increasing.

She noted that recently, 35 cases were recorded at Selebi Phikwe while 50 were recorded in Francistown.

Ms Tshireletso said she had suggested in Parliament that safe abortion be legalised in Botswana since women continued to commit unsafe abortion.

“Legalising abortion means having facilities that will help women terminate unplanned pregnancy safely,” she added.

She said she was told that legalising abortion would encourage practice of unsafe sex.

Ms Tshireletso said she did not advocate for abortion to be legalised just for people to abort but to help women when they are desperate, stressed and depressed by unplanned pregnancies.

She further said some women who lost their lives due to unsafe abortion, left behind children who were under their care, giving the government a burden to care for them. ENDS