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Power and
Decision-Making
Women in Botswana as in many places in
the world are under represented at decision-making levels.
Full participation of
women in decision-making is essential to achieve equality, development and
peace.
Why are women not involved in
decision-making?
- Lack
of participation due to lack of education and opportunity, confidence and
skills
- Socialisation
of women to follow not lead
- Women
having multiple roles and the unequal division of labour and
responsibilities in the home
- Unequal
power relations between men and women reinforced by gender-biased laws,
cultural beliefs and practices
Recommendations
- Reviewing
and amending laws and cultural practices which hinder the full participation
of women.
- Special
measures to increase women’s level of decision-making
- Men
need to start to encourage women to enter decision-making roles
- Chieftain
Act amended so it is accessible to women
- Increase
the number of women as candidates in the electoral constituencies.
Progress For Women in Botswana
Women
in Power and Decision-Making
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Education
and training of women in politics. |
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The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of
women’s social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement
of both transparent and accountable government and administration and
sustainable development in all areas of life. |
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There
has been growing acceptance of the importance to society of the full
participation of women in decision-making and power at most levels and in many
forums, including the inter-governmental, governmental and non-governmental
sectors. |
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Female representation in
both parliament and cabinet doubled between 1984 and 1994, but the figures fell
short of the 30% minimum laid down by the BeijingPlatform of Action (PFA). In 1999 the number of women in Parliament rose to 18.18% and
in cabinet to 23.5%. |
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There
are no legal impediments to restrict women participation in the formulation and
implementation of government policies. |
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A
number of women have broken into the decision-making echelons in both the public
and the private sectors, while the number is still low considering the number of
women with the necessary qualifications and experience it is a step in the right
direction. |
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Women have also
dominated the leadership of the most visible non-governmental organisations such
as YWCA, Emang Basadi, BCW, Forum on Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry Association of Botswana. |
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Botswana
together with other SADC member states signed the Gender and Development
Declaration in 1997. This Declaration commits member states to ensuring that there
is equal representation of women and men in the decision making structures of
their development sectors and that measures should be put in place to reach the
target of at least thirty percent representation of women by the year 2005.
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The Inter-party Caucus for women politicians was established in 1998 with
the aim to promote and encourage women in political office.
On the other hand, Emang Basadi Women’s Association has a political
education project whose overall objective is to mobilise women to participate
actively and stand for political office. Many
women’s wings have been established in influential organisations and their
main mandate is to advocate for the advancement of women and gender
mainstreaming of institutions.
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Who is addressing
this area? Emang
Basadi Women's Association |
