26 Nov 2018

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has made a personal commitment to end gender based violence (GBV) which he says robs women and girls of the privilege to enjoy their rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution of Botswana.

“As a husband to a wife, a father to a daughter, a son to a mother, a brother to a sister, a nephew to an aunt, an uncle to a niece and male president to women, girls, men or boys, I Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi will step up my commitment and actions on working hard and smart to end gender based violence,” he said.

President Masisi made the pledge at the launch of this year’s commemoration of 16 days of activism against violence on women and children on Sunday.

He said the weekly reports of incidents of GBV should challenge the nation to come up with strategies to eliminate violence at all levels.

“As a nation we can no longer ignore the fact that GBV has stretched its devastating tentacles across the country. GBV has undoubtedly affected our country socially and economically as women and girls contribute significantly to all spheres of life, including business, education, sport, agriculture amongst others,” he said.

He said the United Nations had revealed that 67 per cent of women in Botswana had experienced abuse either physically or emotionally.

“This figure almost doubles the 35 per cent of women who have experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence globally. This statistic cannot be taken lightly, more so at a time when the world is united in speaking out against GBV,” he added.

Dr Masisi said if Batswana were to achieve the Vision 2036 goal of prosperity for all, they must unite against GBV because it undermined health, dignity, security and freedom.

“This is why it is so important to invest in women and girls because doing so strengthens our resolve to achieve national aspirations. Botswana can only be envied by other nations if all women and girls were not affected by GBV but are supported and allowed to rise, shine and achieve their full potential. This will truly ensure prosperity for all,” he said.

President Masisi said he was proud that government had adopted the National Policy on Gender and Development whose priorities included access to justice, protection of human rights and freedom from violence.

“I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm that the policy has been infused into  NDP11, which emphasizes the need for gender mainstreaming across our social interventions. This policy gives priority to the continuing resolve to combat violence in all its manifestations,” he said.

President Masisi mentioned  the development of the Domestic Violence Act regulations, the 2014-2020 national strategy on ending GBV and the establishment of a Legal Aid Department as deliberate measures undertaken to ensure equality.

“During the State of the Nation Address I indicated that the drafting of the Sexual Offences Bill will be given priority. Among its provisions are stiffer penalties against offenders and the establishment of the Sexual Offenders Register which will record names and particulars of all persons convicted of sexual offences,” he said.

President Masisi said the Penal Code had also been amended by increasing the age limit of defilement from 16 to 18 years.

He outlined Botswana’s commitment to global, continental and regional efforts to end GBV saying the country needed to continually review laws to ensure compliance with relevant international intruments.

Government, he said, would fulfill its part with regard to legislation and ensuring that law enforcers did their jobs without fear or favour.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is #HearMeToo; End violence against women and children”. Ends