09 Mar 2020

Women have been implored to uplift themselves and appreciate their worth.

A transformation catalyst, Dr Kopano Mpuang-Allmon, said this during International Women’s Day event in Palapye recently.

Dr Mpuang-Allmon said it was upon every woman to realise their potential and stand up to help in the cleaning of the world.

She said women were powerful and resilient beings, therefore significant to the country’s development.

Other speakers also highlighted the significance of women.

A human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Uyapo Ndadi, said women were exposed to abuse, hence the need to seriously address their issues.

Mr Ndadi said policies and laws had become unrealistic since most of them were not practical or well implemented and that alone needed change of attitude in order to benefit citizens.

He said in other cases, women were intimidated by men by abusing them at work and sometimes they were stagnant because they did not condone abuse.

Other speakers said the society was broken and needed to be fixed to heal the world and urged men to take responsibility of the up bring of their children whether born in or out of wedlock.

Ms Basadi Molelekeng, a commercial farmer in Pandamatenga and mining engineer at Jwaneng mine, Dr Itumelang Seitshiro, echoed sentiments that Batswana women were intelligent enough and in position to unleash their potential.

They called upon women to stand for their rights and work hard because they were capable for doing every job.

They encouraged women to become what they dreamt to be without being intimidated.

BIUST vice chancellor, Prof Otlogetswe Totolo, said event marked the 20th anniversary of the  United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, the 10th anniversary of United Nations Women’s establishment, and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and platform for Action.

Prof Totolo said that called for all sectors of civil society, in cooperation with government to be fully committed and contribute to implementation of these international instruments.

Prof Totolo encouraged Batswana to observe this day, saying it was guided by a broader theme of: Women empowerment; Our Guarantee to 2026, marking a decade of delivery on the sustainable development goals (#5 gender Equality).

He also said the national theme came in the backdrop of Vision 2036 pillar two of Human and Social Development, which called all citizens to develop strategies for social inclusion and equality, education and skills development, gender equality, the youth and children’s wellbeing. ENDs