13 Dec 2023

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Talita Monnakgotla has expressed concerns regarding the limited representation of women in influential decision-making positions in Botswana. 

She made the remarks following her participation in the Commonwealth workshop on Champions for Gender Equality in Tanzania recently. 

She highlighted the necessity of gender quotas within political parties, emphasising that substantial representation was crucial when enacting laws that directly impacted women. 

She said Botswana should benchmark from Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, and Tanzania to gauge progress on the issue.

Comparing the statistics, she revealed that Rwanda currently boasts 61 per cent women representation in Parliament, while Tanzania has a woman President, Speaker, and women ministers. However, Botswana falls short with only 25 per cent women in the Cabinet, despite having 11 per cent and seven per cent elected women representation in Parliament.

Ms Monnakgotla argued that women were uniquely positioned to shape legislation concerning issues affecting women, as they possess firsthand knowledge of the impact of gender-based violence and understand its root causes, as well as potential solutions.

The Assistant Minister appreciated  President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s appointment of 50 per cent women as Permanent Secretaries and their deputies. Furthermore, she commended the private sector for making strides in appointing women as Chief Executive Officers.

To address the gender imbalance, Ms Monnakgotla emphasised the importance of nurturing women’s education from grassroots levels, enabling more women to access tertiary education. 

She said, ‘we should not confine women to domestic roles,  education not only empowers but also serves as a deterrent against abuse.’

Offering specific proposals, she called for the establishment of nurseries within government ministries to facilitate women ministers in nursing their infants. Ms Monnakgotla believed that nurseries would enable ministers to balance their maternal responsibilities while remaining productive and effective in their official duties. 

Additionally, she raised concerns about the media’s negative portrayal of women politicians, particularly during election periods, asserting that such reports strain marital relationships.

Ms Monnakgotla called upon the media to cease disseminating damaging narratives about women in politics. ENDS