BNF Women’s League proposes 30% quota implementation
The Botswana National Front (BNF) Women’s League is working out a gender policy in which they want a 30% quota of women in decision-making bodies. This is part of the party’s central committee (CC) resolution that was taken recently in which they want a special dispensation of at least 30% quota to be put in place to promote women’s representation in key decision-making bodies, both in the BNF and public institutions. Out of 18 members of the BNF CC, only five of the committee members are women.
The party’s publicity secretary, Justin Hunyepa said this week in an interview that a gender policy is being worked out by the Women’s League and it will guide everything on gender issues including political participation.
The Women’s League will also conduct workshops to conscientise women to ensure that the resolution is implemented.
The Women’s League publicity secretary, Katlo Ditshotlo said the 30% quota has been provided for in the constitution of the party but it was unfortunate that it has not been implemented for quite sometime.
She said their committee is calling for the implementation of the quota and they are going to come up with strategies that would ensure that the implementation is done from the lower structures up to the upper structures level.
“We are worried about the minimal participation of women in decision-making bodies. Currently, in most committees, women’s representation is very low and as the Women’s League, we want the voice of women to be heard.
We have capable women in all constituencies who are working for the party. It is time we include them in some committees. Some women do not make it when it comes to the party structure elections because of men overpowering them due to finance and others.
If the quota is there, other positions will be reserved for women.
We are advocating women to women contest not women to men,” Ditshotlo said.
She added they would also negotiate with the party to ensure that some wards and constituencies are reserved for women as a way to increase participation of women in both councils and Parliament.
The Women’s League publicity secretary said during primary elections, they would advocate women to contest against each other not with men since men have more financial muscle than women.
In addition, she said responsibilities for men and women are different as culturally, women are tasked with many household chores than men.
She said they would also do some fundraising in order to help women for the 2024 General Election.
Meanwhile, other resolutions of the BNF CC include the assistance of the BNF Youth League in its endeavour to promote and support young people to serve in decision-making bodies, both at the BNF and public institutions level, to develop a strategic plan for the party and also to appoint a panel of three attorneys to review the party’s constitution and to bring proposals by the end of November 2022.