15th July 2025
Sello Motseta
Botswana has made strides in the appointment of women in key positions in the public service say officials.
These include the appointment of first women to the positions of Minister of Finance, Permanent Secretary to the President, President of the Court of Appeal, Chief Registrar of the High Court and Commissioner of Police.
In addition, female Permanent Secretaries are at forty percent, Directors at forty-eight percent and Magistrates at sixty-four percent.
Botswana continues to repeal discriminatory laws and replace them with gender responsive statutes. The following are some of the legal instruments that have been adopted: the Bail Bill adopted by Parliament in 2023; the Penal Code Amendment of 2021; the Sexual Offenders Registry Act (2021); and the Anti-Human Trafficking (Amendment) Act (2024).
Lesego Chombo, Minister of Youth and Gender, said “Despite various efforts to promote gender equality, women remain underrepresented in key political and leadership roles.”
She said, “In the National Assembly, women hold 6 out of 66 seats (9.1%), a decline from previous years. In Cabinet, women occupy 19.4% of positions, showing a slight decrease from the previous years. Women’s representation in Local Government elections stands at 15%.”
Botswana has made noticeable gains like providing free and compulsory ten years of basic education from primary to secondary school. It has also recorded a rising adult literacy rate of persons aged 15 years and above; 87.12% females and 86.34% males. Girls are also finishing school at higher rates than boys.
Almost every woman now gives birth in a health facility. These are real wins, and they reflect the power of investing in women’s health and education.
This is significant because development partners like the World Bank Group, believe that gender equality is integral to achieving its twin goals of reducing extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity on a livable planet.
Officials described gender equality as a critical development accelerator saying its pursuit helps reduce poverty, unlock economic productivity, and enhance the well-being of current and future generations at the launch of a gender equality study, the Trends and Opportunities to Advance Gender Equality in Botswana Tuesday.
Anna Wellenstein, Regional Practice Director Planet, Africa East, World Bank, said “The report, and today’s gathering, reflect the strong commitment of the Government of Botswana and our partners across civil society, the private sector, and development institutions to advance gender equality and improve the lives of women and girls across this country.
She said, “Societies that invest in gender equality have stronger and more resilient human capital, better health and education outcomes, and more inclusive institutions.”
Despite the successes some challenges remain. One in ten girls becomes pregnant before the age of 20. Maternal mortality remains three times higher in Botswana compared to upper middle-income country peers and Girls outperform boys in education but face high dropout rates at different stages.
