18 Dec 2019

Government should consider enhancing women’s participation in the development agenda as part of the efforts to reduce poverty, says Gaborone Bonnington North MP, Ms Annah Mokgethi.

In her response to the State-of-the-Nation Address in Parliament recently, Ms Mokgethi, who is also the Minister of Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs said her ministry had an important task to promote and mainstream gender issues in the society.

She said they were always on a lookout for legislation that impeded women from playing their positive role in the society, thus argued that Botswana could not progress if women were not empowered to fully participate in the country’s socio-economic development.

Ms Mokgethi highlighted that it was pleasing that President Dr Mokgwetsi Masisi in his SONA presentation emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting women in accessing markets through the annual business expositions.

She said the government’s commitment to women economic empowerment, should be seen as a strategy to foster gender-inclusive economy.

The legislator said when the government adopted the national policy on gender and development in 2015, the idea was to prioritise economic development, prosperity and poverty reduction among others.

She cautioned that the government had noted with concerns that Gender-Based Violence was one of the critical issues that impede women, girls and men from fully enjoying their human rights and unleashing their potential.

On other issue relating to her ministry, Ms Mokgethi stated that government had introduced the Botswana Blue Card to allow persons who had ceased to be citizens of Botswana, such as those who have renounced Botswana citizenship to retain the right to unlimited stay in Botswana.

The Blue cardholders, she said would have the right to visit, live and work in Botswana, but would however not be entitled to Omang cards and the Botswana passport as they would not have ceased to be citizens of Botswana at the time they acquired the citizenship of another country.

Further, Ms Mokgethi vowed to fully transform her constituency which she said was behind development-wise.

She said there was a decry of lack of access to social service programmes by the intended beneficiaries in her constituency.

“There are a number of poverty eradication programme applicants and people living with disability dating back to 2012 who are yet to be funded or even receive feedback on their application after assessment,” she said.

She highlighted that her constituency was fortunate enough to house the mass media complex hence she said she would advocate for the full utilisation of the mass media complex to benefit young artists in her constituency.

Ms Mokgethi applauded the construction of the western bypass intersection stating that the construction would not only create employment but would also add value to the city’s landscape.

She also complained about the street lights in her constituency which she said were not functional and contributed to a high level of crime.

She stated that it was within her mandate to promote urban tourism in her constituency as it was the host to the Bonnington heritage site which had the potential to create employment if fully utilised. ENDS