Strides achieved in women empowerment � Goya

Pini Bothoko | Tuesday August 4, 2015 14:54

Officiating at the third Northern women’s exposition at Adansonia Hotel last Thursday night, Goya said in March this year, the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs (MoLHM) reported to the United Nations that the country has registered significant progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. He said Botswana highlighted amongst others, the efforts to eradicate abject poverty and the promotion of women’s economic empowerment particularly targeting rural and remote area communities as well as women and people with disabilities.

Goya said it is worth noting that the Poverty Eradication Programme has so far been funded at approximately P520 million, of which P416 million is towards women. Goya also said that the percentage of people living below the poverty datum line has declined from an estimated 30% in 2002/3 to 19.6% in 2013.

“We believe that as time goes on, these efforts will lead to a decrease in the unemployment levels,” he said.

Goya disclosed that in May this year, the minister MoLHM Edwin Batshu attended a meeting of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) ministers responsible for gender and women’s Affairs in Harare, Zimbabwe where members shared progress on the implementation of SADC protocol on gender and development. “Batshu made known our government’s commitment to strengthen efforts towards gender equity and equality,” he said.

Goya went on to say that the ministry also participated in the 25th African Union Summit in June this year in Johannesburg, South Africa where heads of state deliberated on the African Union 2015 theme: ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.’

Goya said during the summit heads of state and government acknowledged the challenges faced by the African continent regarding implementation of gender equality and women’s empowerment since Beijing 1995.

He said heads of state also committed to push forward women’s economic empowerment and expedite the process of translating the above transformational commitments into results.

Goya said research indicates that when women are empowered, economies tend to perform better. “The UN women April 2015, facts and figures of economic empowerment report revealed that when more women work, economies grow. Therefore an increase in female labour force participation results in faster economic growth,” he said.

Goya went on to say according to the International Centre for Research, women perform 66% of the world’s work, produce 50% of the food, but earn only 10% of the income and own 1 to 2 percent of property.

Goya said it is in recognition of these challenges that the government of Botswana employs various strategies such as the affirmative action framework for remote area communities of which over P2.8 billion has been committed for the implementation of the 10 year plan. He said that cabinet approved the national policy on gender and development in March 2015, which is before parliament for consideration.

Goya added that his ministry was given P25.2 million from the alcohol levy for the women’s economic empowerment programme in the just ended financial year.

“These funds supported a total of 72 women’s groups, creating jobs for 360 individuals. In addition the ministry has received an additional P23 million for the poverty eradication programme where a total of 1,413 individuals were supported,” he said.

The Northern Expo, which ended on Sunday, attracted 150 women exhibitors. Some were awarded prizes for best-produced, packaged and marketed products.