13 Oct 2022

GABORONE - Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Ms Annah Mokgethi, is the recipient of the 2022 Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up (DUSUSU) Gender Minister Award.

The award recognises efforts towards contributing positively to women development and empowerment.

Speaking during the award ceremony in Gaborone on Wednesday, Ms Mokgethi promised to continue to motivate women to be change makers.

She also thanked government for supporting her when she was minister responsible for gender affairs.

She acknowledged that Botswana had worked hard on gender developments, adding however that statistical data reflected that there was need to develop a robust mechanism to attain gender equality.

Ms Mokgethi said the gender affairs portfolio led her to make conscious effort to mainstream gender considerations and ensure that women were enabled to be change makers in their immediate communities and beyond.

She said some of her achievements at the time included: the adoption of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act 2021, the adoption of the Sexual Offenders Registry Act 2021 and the Establishment of GBV special courts.

She said Botswana continued to recognise the importance of addressing socio- economic issues that affected adolescent girls and young women, adding those structural barriers heightened risk and vulnerability to HIV and compromised girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights.

She encouraged people fighting for gender equality to keep on as ‘the battle does not end until there is no discrimination, against any human being on any grounds. You should all play your role in driving the gender agenda”.

For her part, Ms Oduwole said the minister was presented the award following her contribution to the development of women, girls and children.

She said the DUSUSU award was presented annually to a First Lady and or gender minister, who had shown exemplary work in gender development issues.

She said the awards stated in 2014 and the past recipients were ministers from Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Jamaica, Sierra Leon and Nigeria, while recipient first ladies include Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Mozambique and Cape Verde.

Ms Oduwole said her passion was the girl child and making them realise their dreams and advocating for their education.

The minister of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture, Mr Tumiso Rakgare hailed Ms Mokgethi for the recognition for the progress she made in the promotion of gender equality

He said her recognition was testimony of her commitment to the implementation of government’s gender objectives as guided by the National Policy on Gender and Development and the National Strategy towards ending Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Mr Rakgare further highlighted that Botswana remained committed to improve the status of women and girls in all spheres of their lives.

He said deliberate efforts had been made to address specific areas where women and girls were disadvantaged. 

He cited the promotion of Child Friendly Schools (CFS) where learner conditions were constantly reviewed and relaxed considering learners’ varying environment and challenges.

Mr Rakgare made an assurance that though the gender portfolio had been transferred to the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, the gender equality journey would continue.

“It is on this note that since May, 2022, the ministry launched the National Gender Commission represented by various sectors including civil society” he said. Ends