04 Feb 2018

Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu says in 1998 government adopted the National Gender Programme which intensifies and strengthens the Women Economic Empowerment Programme as a gender integration model to improve the situation of women in Botswana.

Mr Batshu said since its inception, the programme has been reviewed from time to time with the major one being in November 2015.

He said since then, 4 478 business proposals were received as at January 2017, and that from these number, 1 000 proposals were approved for funding and 3 478 were declined due to depletion of resources.

He said from the 1 000 proposals approved, 730 were continuously being funded from available funds while 270 proposals which required P58.3 million remained unfunded due to depletion of resources.

The minister said the ministry was mobilising funds for support, and he noted that besides the approved projects awaiting funding there was no backlog.

Minister Batshu also said it was worth noting that following the depletion of funds, the 3 478 declined applicants were accordingly informed that they would not be funded due to lack of funds.

Kgosi Justice Moseki of Ghanzi North region had asked the minister when he would consider granting applications that were long submitted to the Department of Gender Affairs. ENDS