10 Nov 2020

Women Against Rape (WAR) coordinator, Ms Peggy Ramaphane, says the Sexual Offenders Registry Draft Bill demonstrates government commitment to address sexual offences.

Ms Ramaphane said this at the North West District consultative meeting on November 9.

She said WAR had been on the forefront regarding issues of gender based violence (GBV) especially sexual offences for the past 25 years.

The Sexual Offenders Registry Bill aimed at providing a registration for sexual offenders.

Ms Raphane said sexual offences were against human rights and they affected victims’ dignity.

She said stakeholders in the fight against GBV in the North West District saw it fit to contribute to the proposed bill.

She said they suggested that sexual offences be extended to include child marriages that were rampant in the North West region under disguise of some cultures.

Ms Ramaphane said stakeholders also suggested that the council in charge of the sexual offenders register be inclusive of the civil societies representatives not only government officials as stipulated.

Kgosi Oateng Setlhodi of Chanoga commended government for taking a firm stand against GBV.

Kgosi Setlhodi said issues of sexual offences were increasing at an alarming rate, therefore there was need for the nation to stand against such issues and behavioural change.

Senior gender officer from gender affairs department in Maun, Ms Boitumelo Likuni, thanked stakeholders for their input to the draft bill.

Ms Likuni said the draft bill was an answer to sexual offences that were widespread in the North West region and the country as a whole.

She said the North West region registered many sexual offences against children as evidenced by a high number of teenage pregnancies. ends