16 Feb 2023

Implementing partners of the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi Drylands Ecosystem Project (KGDEP) have been called upon to be gender sensitive. The call was made by KGDEP Project manager, Mr Mbiganyi Dipotso during a gender mainstreaming training organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tsabong on Tuesday. 

The purpose of the training was to capacitate key project implementing partners from various government departments to promote gender equality and equity when implementing community projects. 

Mr Dipotso called on officers to use a clear gender lens and promote gender equality and equity, stressing that equity was critical to create equal access to resources and opportunities for both males and females. 

He said the two-day training was designed to raise awareness and to capacitate implementing partners to mainstream gender issues into the activities carried out from an informed position.

 “We must have a gender balance in the provision of services and ensure that both men and women benefit equally from the KGDEP projects. We want to capacitate all implementing partners to carry out gender mainstreaming through increased training,” he said, adding that all key partners must have sufficient gender expertise and knowledge. 

He said UNDP administered projects funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), which required that the gender mark-up tool be part of the planning process, to give equal opportunities to both males and females. Mr Dipotso said the training sought to not only bridge that gap, but ensure equity and that women were capacitated to deliver in a male dominated environment.

“We must provide a conducive environment for both males and females to thrive equally,” he said. 

He noted that gender mainstreaming contributed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, global goal No: 5 on gender equality and equity as well as women empowerment and elimination of gender-based violence against women and men. 

He revealed that the UNDP, KGDEP project target was to manage human-wildlife interface to sustain the flow of agro ecosystem services and prevent illegal wildlife trafficking in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi drylands ecosystem. UNDP recently approved a budget of P26 million for implementation of community-based projects under KGDEP at Kacgae, Bere, Ngwatle, Khawa, Bokspits, Zutshwa and Struizendam. 

They are expected to be completed by July 2023. Some of the implementing organisations are: departments of Environmental Affairs, Wildlife and National Parks, Town and Country Planning and District Land Use Planning Units, Animal Production, Forestry and Range Resources as well as Botswana Tourism Organisation and Local Enterprise Authority. Mr Dipotso said last year, 40 members of community-based organisations, Dikgosi and social workers in Hukuntsi were trained, while in March 2023, gender mainstreaming training would be offered in Hukuntsi and Ghanzi. 

Department of Gender Affairs’ senior gender officer, Mr Justice Seitsang trained the 30 participants on gender awareness, gender planning, gender language inclusivity, human rights commitments to gender equality, psychological violence, what to do when abuse was suspected, causes of gender-based violence, and on why violence against women was a concern. 

He urged participants to always approach community projects with a gender lens, be gender sensitive and to always be aware of the different needs of genders when screening projects. ends