LESS THAN 3% GBV CASES REPORTED

Programme Communications and Advocacy Officer at United Nations Botswana, Nchidzi Smarts says reporting of cases of Gender-Based Violence is low. Smarts says that less than three percent of women report cases to the police. He worries that measures to ensure the protection and safety of GBV survivors remain limited. For example, the number of shelters and support services in the fight against GBV is insufficient, as are legal provisions.

“There is no specific legislation in Botswana that criminalises sexual violence, and marital rape is not recognised by law as a criminal offense.” Although Botswana has adopted the Domestic Violence Act (2008), some of its provisions, including the definition of domestic violence and sexual harassment, are not in accordance with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Botswana ratified in 1996. “Although the Government enacted the Domestic Violence Act in 2008, and further developed the regulations for the effective implementation of the Act in 2013, GBV remains prevalent. “Therefore, the protection of women and girls from violence remains a challenge that requires more concerted and rigorous efforts by all stakeholders and partners,” Smarts says. CEDAW Committee’s concluding observation on Botswana was that there is a lack of access to justice for women, owing to the ad hoc way in which the transfer of cases from customary courts to civil courts is determined, and the lack of access to legal aid for women living in poverty, women with disabilities and rural women. “Customary Courts Act needs to be amended to introduce a defined system of transfers of civil or criminal proceedings from customary courts to civil courts for cases in which women are discriminated against or their rights are violated,” Smarts says. He adds that to tackle GBV, a four-pronged strategy targeting prevention, response, collection, and funding, should be considered. Response is needed through social mobilisation, strategic partnership, and engagement of all stakeholders and new allies, as well as education and work on transforming social and cultural prejudicial norms and practices. In addition, tools and mechanisms to provide integrated support are needed.

So is the need to invest in data collection and analysis as well as information systems and mechanisms to inform decisionmaking and target interventions. The mobilisation and allocation of adequate resources to implement strategies, plans, and programmes is also essential, along with the need to fund CSOs working on GBV and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE), as well as other intersecting issues, along with specific funds dedicated to grassroots organisations and community-level initiatives. Botswana has not yet adopted a comprehensive gender-responsive budgeting strategy to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated for the realisation of women’s rights and safety. [Supported by WAN-IFRA WIN (SIRI]