15 Jun 2017

May 10, 2017 holds a distinctive significance in the history and the journey of gender and development in Botswana.

The day was marked boldly in the history books in which Botswana penned a signature on the SADC gender and development protocol committing to join the world in efforts to alleviate gender inequality; particularly to create a conducive environment or an equal-surface playing field for both male and female.

The valiant move was widely commended by gender activists’ organisations and individuals and one of the organisations was Letsema Botswana Resource Support for Women in Politics under the active leadership of Dr Sethunya Mosime and Dr Maude Dikobe.

The big question posed by Dr Mosime during an acceptance and get-together session recently organised by key stakeholders who had an input in the establishment of the gender and development protocol was, now that the SADC gender and development protocol has been signed, what is next for women or what should women do to sail on the advantage and take opportunities presented by the protocol.

“Research has proved that women have been sidelined and disadvantaged when it comes to the male dominated field called politics.

But the good news is that if fully capacitated and trained, women can claim their rightful place in the hierarchy, which is at the top.

Hence we, as Letsema commit to continue offering resource support for women in politics”.

In an interview, Dr Mosime pointed out that in the years to come, women would be asked a question, what did you do to empower yourself because government had created a conducive platform?

Dr Mosime further said with proper training and capacitation, they would be able to overcome or at least deal with the barriers or thorns in the playing field.

“If poverty was a human being, it would be female. The reason I am saying this is because women have become the face of poverty.

They are the most unemployed; no wonder they don’t have resources to drive their political campaigns. Another big problem that women need to overcome is the patriarchal thinking surrounding women.

But remedy to all this would be political training and support,” Dr Mosime said.

She highlighted that women were involved in politics but they did not hold decision making positions in the party structures something which she deemed worrisome.

Without shying away from the fact that it would not be easy to overcome the barriers in one day, Dr Mosime emphasised that women were strong by nature and had qualities that made them unique and able to lead the transformation.,

The gender equality lecturer and consultant said Letsema coached women in politics and gave them skills on how to build their characters, presentation skills, branding and advertising, exploring teamwork and networking across the political lines as women. ENDS