BIGGEST LOSER

Botswana records lowest number of females in parliament

Botswana needs to look hard into ensuring that there are laws deliberately made to ensure female representation in politics. As a commission appointed by the president continues with constitutional review consultative meetings around the country, there is need to use the opportunity to include gender balance in the constitution. The current Botswana constitution is awfully silent on gender representation at parliament level. This is one of the topics being discussed at the Gender Links Women Political Participation (WPP) training for journalists in Johannesburg this week. Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) findings suggest that Botswana is one of the lowest ranked countries when it comes to female representation in parliament. Botswana stands at 11 percent for the year 2021 and ranked last in the region. South Africa is at the top of the list at 46 percent representation.

“Our constitution in Zimbabwe was adopted in 2013 and it was around the time that talk on gender balance was heightened. So I believe Botswana will look into the matter too given that they are still using the 1966 constitution,” said LoveJoy Mutongwiza of Zimbabwe. “Yes good things are happening in Botswana, they are reviewing their constitution and we trust that they will look into quotas and ensure that females are not side-lined,” added Gender Links special advisor Colleen Morna. Eswatini participants shared that their constitution calls for 30 percent female representation. However, it is not enforced, meaning that things continue to be the same with a low female representation in politics. There is therefore need for countries not to only make laws but ensure that they are enforced. Gender and Governance Associate at Gender Links Susan Tolmay shared that with only two general elections left before 2030 in Botswana, there is need to be deliberate and fast track efforts to get women onboard. Goal Five of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015 calls for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

Tolmay said there is need to include country specific electoral reforms and temporary measures. There is also need to ensure that there are aggressive efforts made to ensure that women are supported at party level, also because that is where it all begins.

SELECT FEW: Female MPs Unity Dow, Beauty Manake and Peggy Serame are among the few in Parliament, all in through the Specially Elected dispensation by the President.