01 Oct 2020

Botswana Football Association (BFA) has condemned gender based violence (GBV) in all its forms.

BFA chief public relations officer, Tumo Mpatane, said this in an interview on September 29.

He said GBV incidents were a societal problem that affected all including sporting fraternity.

Mpatane said football required best coordination and administration, adding that issues such as GBV might hinder its growth.

The BFA spokesperson called on Batswana to be responsible and understand that women were important to the growth of football.

He said BFA was against incidents of GBV and urged all women in sport to know their rights given that sport had potential of boosting economy.

Mpatane said both men and women were of equal importance to football, hence BFA calling for education on GBV from grass roots.

“The football governing body to date has not registered a single case of GBV, but we are calling all participants in football to report any matter relating to GBV to BFA.”

He said these were trying times for the nation faced with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent media release from BFA, GBV is a violation of human rights and over the years has been rapidly growing in the country.

The release states that although the nation and government are fighting and standing against GBV, it still continues to rise to a point where Botswana is reported to be the second leader in  GBV in the world.

The release says GBV is a persistent and universal problem occurring in every culture and social group around the world citing at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced in to sex and other related abuse of lifetime.

“It seems like there is no place of safety for females because they are abused everywhere from home, school, work to mention a few,” states the release.

The release says it is sickening to know that even the babies and people with disabilities are sexually abused by people who should be their protection and guardians.

The release reveals that it is time traditional beliefs, norms and social institutions, alcohol and issues surrounding poverty are seriously challenged especially when they imposed gender roles and instill fear on women and girls.

The release says girls and women are living in fear because the abuse comes from within home and outside.

“The perpetrators believe that they own women and girls and that women and girls are their properties and must submit to them and dance to their tunes, citing that this altogether leads to GBV. ENDS