Africa-Press – Botswana. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a complex and sensitive issue, which needs collective responsibility to uproot, President Advocate Duma Boko has said.
Addressing a kgotla meeting in Jwaneng, President Boko noted that most GBV incidents happened in private spaces, particularly in intimate relationships, therefore making it difficult for external assistance to be effective.
“GBV is a big concern and it is difficult to address since it happens within private spaces, it only comes out in the open when the damage has already been done,” he said.
He underscored the need to adopt a proactive approach to addressing the issue, which should start with taking individual responsibility. He said it was unfortunate that people had normalised violent behaviour and careless use of violent words, which go unreported.
Additionally, he implored the society to identify the root cause of GBV, rather than focusing on the end result, which was only a symptom.
“We need to localise and narrow our focus in order for us to effectively address this problem,” he noted.
President Boko further said the decline in marriages in Botswana called for introspection and behavioural change to enhance mutual respect and foster healthy relationships. He also implored all stakeholders, including community leaders, to reconsider their approach to marriage and marriage counselling issues.
He said it should not be considered taboo for marriages to be eventually dissolved, if all had failed, instead of subjecting couples to violence.
On other issues, President Boko said government was committed to providing fundamental human rights to all Batswana, amidst the current financial challenges. He said in addition to aligning the Constitution with these human rights, it was also important to review laws and policies, which disadvantaged people in order to close the disparities.
He also explained that it was essential to institute a forensic audit as early as possible to enhance faith and confidence in government. He noted that this would go a long way in promoting accountability in the future.
In his welcome remarks, Jwaneng court president, Kgosi Segale Letshele raised concern at the escalating cases of GBV in Jwaneng and nationally. He noted that men had disregarded their responsibility as protectors and were leading perpetrators of GBV.
Kgosi Letshele also said women had a role to play in this national problem, by withdrawing GBV related cases from the courts of law. Additionally, he noted that drug abuse was rampant in Jwaneng, consequently calling for stringent punishment for drug dealers. He said the effects of drug abuse had contributed to moral decay in the community and mental health issues.
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