27 May 2026

First Lady Kaone Boko has called for attention to the welfare of the boy child, warning that leaving boys behind while empowering girls can contribute to violence and other social challenges.

Therefore, Ms Boko, who was speaking at the private sector forum on child rights organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund on May 27, said there should be deliberate programmes focusing on the boy-child, particularly from those disadvantaged backgrounds.

While empowerment of the girl-child remained important, she said society should also ensure that boys were guided and supported to develop positively.

“We should also have a point where we are discussing just the boy-child,” she said, adding that some boys resorted to violence in an attempt to assert their masculinity when they felt excluded

She also revealed that the Office of The First Lady, had developed the Mpepu programme, which focused on early childhood development and child protection, with emphasis on maternal and infant care.

She said the initiative aimed to support mothers even before a child was born by encouraging antenatal care and creating a safe and supportive environment for both mother and child.

According to Ms Boko, the programme also focused on supporting vulnerable and expectant teenage mothers through counselling, guidance and assistance during pregnancy.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Botswana, Mr Giles Enticknap said Botswana had already made significant progress in building a child-friendly justice system.

He noted that child-friendly justice sought to ensure systems worked for children instead of forcing children to fit into systems designed for adults.

According to the High Commissioner, justice systems could often be intimidating and traumatising for children, particularly victims and witnesses of gender-based violence.

He noted that Botswana, with support from international partners including the United Kingdom, had established child-friendly interview centres aimed at creating safe spaces where children could provide testimony without fear or intimidation.

Mr Enticknap said the partnership between Botswana and the United Kingdom also included training on interviewing child victims and witnesses, as well as strengthening cooperation between police, courts and social services.

He added that the reforms were already bringing practical change by ensuring children received support without stigma while promoting rehabilitation and dignity within the justice system.

The High Commissioner further urged the private sector to play a role in child welfare and justice reforms through investment, innovation and strengthening sustainable systems.

He said technology and artificial intelligence could help make systems simpler, faster and safer for children, if used effectively.

Mr Enticknap stressed that future progress would depend on practical delivery rather than statements, adding that partnerships between government, the private sector and development partners were critical in improving outcomes for children. ENDS