02 Dec 2018

 Government intends to commit more resources to the national gender machinery,  says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Addressing the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) women’s general assembly in Mogoditshane on November 30, he said government planned to increase the budget for the Women Economic Empowerment Programme that was liquidated.

He said following the review of the programme in 2015 where 1 416 individuals benefitted, government intended to increase the number of beneficiaries.

President Masisi also noted that government recently signed a joint declaration on trade and women’s economic empowerment. He said the initiative supported women participation in trade in 120 countries that had already endorsed the initiative.

“This will provide a framework and platform for members to foster a more inclusive trade agenda across borders,” he said.

Dr Masisi said the declaration would translate into sharing experience and hosting seminars on gender-based analysis of trade and procurement, women international value change, digital inclusion and women in the free trade agreement.

He added that Botswana would be in a better position to leverage on best practices from other countries and work with other states to remove barriers in women economic empowerment and participation in trade.

He said there was need for women empowerment in politics, and that women should ensure that their deliberations gave guidance to the party on how they could increase women participation in politics.

He added that their deliberations should also give guidance on how to establish and strengthen party structures to achieve this.

On gender-based violence, he said government was taking steps to ensure that women were protected through the development of a domestic violence act which would facilitate the effective implementation of the Domestic Violence Act of 2008, 

“The national strategy on ending GBV by 2014-2020 would on the other hand ensure that we move in unison and speak with one voice to bring to an end this heinous scourge,” he said. 

Meanwhile, BDP Women’s Wing chairperson, Ms Dorcas Makgato called on women to make unity a priority in the party.

“For the sake of our party, and our own sake, let us make unity a priority,” she said, adding that where they had to compete with each other, integrity and professionalism should be the guiding principle.

She added that the party could not afford to go into the 2019 general elections fragmanted, saying under the BDP, Batswana were in good hands.

The assembly was held under the theme: Our empowerment, our unity, our victory #2019. ENDS