Commemoration Of International Women’s Day 2025 (PLACING BOTSWANA)

By Paula O.M.Otukile

Gaborone, Botswana

Correspondence

Worth Noting:

• Does it mean kids are neglected as a woman is a keeper of a home, while they run the country errands? No, being a leader means more resources as helpers and tutors are being involved in helping the kids. She is like any other mother who wakes up and goes to work and come back.

• Although we cannot ignore the malfunctioning occurrences around us in terms of GBV, fact is the government is doing outreaches to the different groups in the society, just a week ago there was men conference at Mahalapye kgotla including school boys on behavioral change and sensitivity awareness on GBV, another conference or call was at Otse police college for GBV stakeholders in regards to handling the issue and coming up with solutions.

Celebration commemoration shall be held under the theme “FOR ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS: Rights, Equality, Empowerment”.  Question one got to ask is where is the woman placed in the leadership hierarchy in Africa and the world today if not the society?

Taking a look at objectives of this year’s commemoration,  the achievements, of women in Botswana, are vast and significant particularly in leadership, clear example being Minister Chombo a twenty six year old beauty queen who is now a minister of Youth and Gender Affairs in Botswana, Minister of Child Welfare and Basic education Hon Kgafela, Minister of Minerals Energy Kenewendo, and assistant Minister of state  Ministry for state Presidente Mophuting for being included in the Cabinet of the Republic of Botswana, the inclusion of women in the Botswana cabinet is a refresher, it is a milestone in the twenty first century to have women leaders with great qualifications and very empowered as it shows progression of Botswana i terms of democracy and women inclusiveness in ruling. The new ruling party is first in the race in terms of recognition of women power and strength. A woman got some significance in her society as demonstrated by Botswana Parliament.

Does it mean kids are neglected as a woman is a keeper of a home, while they run the country errands? No, being a leader means more resources as helpers and tutors are being involved in helping the kids. She is like any other mother who wakes up and goes to work and come back.

Although we cannot ignore the malfunctioning occurrences around us in terms of GBV, fact is the government is doing outreaches to the different groups in the society, just a week ago there was men conference at Mahalapye kgotla including school boys on behavioral change and sensitivity awareness on GBV, another conference or call was at Otse police college for GBV stakeholders in regards to handling the issue and coming up with solutions.

It is true that we cannot turn a blind eye to the rampant killings of women and children in terms of Gender based violence cases that are escalating daily, the struggles of women are evident in terms of of 5cases of abuse in five months,  all include women and children suffering progress is made by leaders, in terms of Pitso or calls of to talk out and come up with solutions but to no avail, it is still a pandemic as the finger now points to the force considering a pattern of women killed by lovers from the army. Every case is different so we cannot merely say this one is wrong and that one is innocent but it’s important that we must rehabilitate our male friends, family, youth of ways to solve problems not to use violence as a solution. There are numerous ways to resolve Conflicts not to kill.

Women empowerment is also vital. A call to women to seek ways to address unhappiness and to avoid triggers and to be more empowered and independent to avoid financial dependence that seem to escalate the violence in terms of passion killings concern.A mother or girlfriend or wife who works barely stick around toxic environment due to lacking.

Emancipation can come in form of awareness outreaches and campaigns. Education is well availed to the girl child and less girls drop out of school to get married in Botswana as compared to the past, teenage pregnancy is not as rife as in the 1990’s.Religion also is a tool to mend personal decisions.

Women are now having a voice and talking out problems which is an improvement rather than saying they fell after abuse. The women’s past strengths and successes are leading a home when a man has gone to mines in South Africa, getting kids to school, ploughing and making sure all family is intact, eats and protected. A lot is changing and we still see a room for improvement for a woman

There are things not to write home about. The weaknesses were kids were born in the absence of the husband, and so much patriarch control of the in laws hindered here from reaching horizons she was a mere child.

The failures, of women are dependency syndrome which escalate the Gbv, is like girl child is giving up now and saying someone got to give me money because we are in love, he got to feed me this put a lot of those with a view to  be careful much for at risk of dying or being abused. The best way to finding solutions to remove the constraints experienced are women must go back to school and seek out jobs and stand for themselves.

We got educate and sensitize the public on matters relating to the status of women for emancipation of women to stretch and be strengthened too.

Indeed there is a gender balance in Botswana, now a woman can be a minister, a girl can be a prefect too, a woman can be a pastor too. This is an awesome milestone in every way.

Some men are now accepting the visibility and importance of a woman in Botswana today and the women too now see their worth.