Gender Issues In Botswana

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Gender is an integral component for every aspect of the economic, daily private lives of individuals, and the roles ascribed to men and women. It may limit women to an unequal position in society compared to men. In the 1980s and 1990s, the concept of gender emerged as a theoretical and practical tool for analysing the welfare disparities between women and men in Botswana. Culturally-based patriarchal practices promoted male dominance and female subordination in the social, economic and political arenas. Feminine poverty, violence against women, and a continuing under-representation of women in decision-making positions were identified as gender issues affecting women in Botswana (Mookodi & Fuh, 2004). However, the vision of Botswana is to…show more content…
According to Statistics Botswana (2013), incomes are higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. People living below the poverty datum line (PDL) were estimated at 19.3% in 2013 with 8% in cities and towns, 19.9% in urban villages and 24.3% in rural areas (Republic of Botswana, 2016). This shows that the standard of living is low for people in the rural areas. In 2016 the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs indicated that Botswana had the highest economic growth rates in the world averaging 9 percent a year in 2005 and an increase in income per capita to approximately P31900 in 2006. It graduated from the least developed countries to a middle income country. Despite economic performance and growth, its record in terms of unemployment and poverty is not that exceptional. Unemployment was estimated at about 17.6 per cent in 2005-06 (Statistics Botswana, 2006). Botswana is also facing poverty level of 20.7 per cent and high income inequality (UNDP, 2014). Like in other countries, unemployment, poverty, and violence against women are issues of concern especially those in the rural areas (Siphambe,…show more content…
Botswana has a strong patriarchal root and in that context GBV occurs as a result of unequal power relations between men and women. Even though there is an improvement in the participation of women in public sphere; men continue to dominate decision-making in political forums, at the “Kgotla”, Ntlo ya Dikgosi (House of Chiefs) and Parliament (Republic of Botswana, 2016). According to Glick (2002) as cited by the African Development Bank (2011), globally, women performed productive and reproductive roles, while on the other hand men largely functioned as income generators. This duality in women’s roles has resulted in gender inequality. Despite the increase in women's representation in the workforce over the years, they continue to perform dual roles which disadvantages them compared to

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