22 Apr 2024

Stakeholders dealing with issues pertinent to child welfare should collaborate in seeking lasting solutions to problems that affect this segment of the population. 

First Lady Ms Neo Masisi said this in Charleshill on Monday where she was welcomed by the village leadership for her engagement sessions with the youth on issues of economic and social empowerment, HIV and AIDS and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). 

Ms Masisi said until there were concerted efforts by women, men and faith-based committees and organisations, little progress would be made in addressing problems faced by the youth. 

“In finding solutions, we should ensure that men also tag along and become part of the solution. 

Statistics often portray men as culprits of some crimes perpetuated against women and children, hence one of our sessions will see us engaging with men and their teenage sons,” she said. 

First Lady applauded the Charleshill leadership under the stewardship of Kgosi Mbao Kahiko III for taking deep interest in issues of child protection and welfare. 

She labelled their keen interest a crucial first step to efforts to protect, mould and empower the youths, thereby guaranteeing a better future for the nation itself. 

Welcoming the First Lady, Kgosi Kahiko III briefed her about  the challenges encountered by youth in the village. Such ills which continued to haunt the youth include alcohol abuse and the use of illegal substances, teenage pregnancy as well as crimes such as rape, defilement and child neglect.

However, Kgosi Kahiko III commended the First Lady for her role in championing the fight against these problems. 

He said the E Seng Mo Ngwaneng campaign was a good initiative that would help shape the future of Botswana’s young people by safeguarding their interests and ensuring that they were generally protected. 

He said the campaign would bring about a change of mindset especially to those often perpetuating crimes against children. 

“It is sad that we still have pockets within our population of people who resist change. It is saddening that in this age and era we still have some men terrorising our people by raping them when they should be the ones protecting them,” he said. 

Kgosi Kahiko III thus called for stiffer penalties against those who violate women and children, suggesting that they should be subjected to the death penalty. 

Ghanzi South Member of Parliament Mr Motsamai Motsamai said Ms Masisi’s focus and efforts on issues pertaining to the youth were encouraging. 

He said this would reignite in the nation, the hope that the solutions they had always yearned for were possible and remained within reach. 

He concurred on the need for stakeholders to join hands in addressing challenges faced by the youth. 

He advised men to desist from seeing women and children as objects to be used, but rather as important counterparts within society they were duty-bound to protect and care for. 

Thanking the First Lady for championing child welfare issues, the MP said Botswana was blessed to have a calibre of First Ladies keen on identifying and helping find solutions to problems in the nation, mentioning the late former First Lady Ms Olebile Masire as having helped lay the foundation for tackling challenges faced by citizens, particularly the youth. Ends