08 Mar 2020

 Balete paramount chief, Kgosi Mosadi, says government recognises dikgosi’s role in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).

She was speaking at commemoration of the International Women’s Day in Otse on March 5.

“Government has identified that dikgosi are crucial in the fight against gender abased violence in our communities,” Kgosi Mosadi said.

The Balete kgosikgolo said dikgosi presided over cases of gender based violence and consequently brought in peace and harmony in families.

She stated that dikgosi advocated for well-being of women, men and children in their communities.

However, she regretted that abuse of alcohol and gambling were some of the challenges that reversed the gains made in the fight against GBV.

Kgosi Mosadi further made a plea to women to avoid going on drinking sprees because it put their lives in danger.

She also said they had identified that division of properties accumulated by cohabiting partners contributed to abuse, hence the need to those cohabiting to get married to curb the problem.

Kgosi Mosadi said although their contribution was valuable, there was need to resource bogosi to fight gender-based violence.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative, Ms Jacinta Barrins, said the UNDP was willing to help the country to integrate sustainable development goals into its programmes.

She said although the country had achieved a lot, UNDP would enable the country to come up with targets and measures.

Among the areas that the UNDP would be willing to assist was that of discrimination against women and girls, ending all forms of violence against women and girls as well as elimination of forced marriages and female genital mutilation.

Ms Barrins said they would also help the country on how it could achieve full participation of women in leadership and decision making across all areas of life.

Other areas that the UNDP targeted were universal access to reproductive rights and health for girls and women, equal rights to economic resources and participation in ownership property as well as empowerment of women. ends