Tsabong, 19^th February 2020- The Government of Botswana through the Department of Gender Affairs and the Department of Tribal Administration in collaboration with UNDP Botswana kickstarted three-day training of Dikgosi in Kgalagadi on their important role in reducing gender-based violence in their district yesterday. This training is part of the efforts by UNDP to provide advisory and technical support to the Government to strengthen and enhance its capacity to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, enhance the accessibility of the justice system and empower youth and women. The first training of this arrangement covered 53 Dikgosi from the 9 villages of Chobe district in Kasane from the 3rd to 5th September 2019 while the second leg of training took place last week in Hukuntsi. The participants for the current training are 34 Dikgosi of Kgalagadi South, and the training is currently in session in Tsabong.

When giving official opening remarks at the ongoing training the Tribal Administrator for Kgalagadi/ Hukuntsi, Ms. Linda Lekgoa observed that,” Gender Based Violence affects both women and men, but statistics show that women suffer the most”. She stressed that all stakeholders, UNDP, Dikgosi, NGOs have a role to play. She said that Dikgosi as a link with the community are critical stakeholders in addressing issues of violence and bringing perpetrators before the law so that justice prevails.

Kgosi David Toto II mentioned in his welcome remarks that it was important that all Dikgosi who have attended the workshop, take the workshop seriously as they are being equipped not only to know about gender-based violence, but to be able to add their voice and cascade the war against GBV. He mentioned that this training has come at the right time when gender-based violence cases are a concern in Kgalagadi district.

It is expected that through the conversations at this training the Dikgosi will confront any identified negative cultural practices that perpetuate GBV and negative responses to it. The training will further enhance more effective human rights mechanisms and provide opportunities for all relevant stakeholders to participate in this inclusive growth. To achieve this outcome the support given to the Government of Botswana is guided by the Government development priorities and goals as articulated in Vision 2036, the National Development Plan 11 (NDP 11) and the Global Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDGs’); United Nations Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) and the Country Programme Document (CPD) (2017-2022).

The Dikgosi GBV trainings are made possible by the financial support from the Government of Ireland @IrlEmbPretoria

Support to the fulfillment of human rights, access to justice and empowerment of youth and women