Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/and AIDS (BONELA) joins the World in Commemorating the International Women’s day today, the 8th March 2022 under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” “#BreakTheBias”. This theme acknowledges that sustainable development can only be achieved through gender equality.
On this day we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women in their diversity.
Gender Equality is a human right and it is a central to BONELAs work. Promotion of gender equality and non-discrimination is a key factor in achieving epidemic control and Ending AIDS by 2030. Universal access to SRHR, realization of reproductive rights, reduction of poverty, prevention of STIs, and achievement of sustainable development goals will largely depend on our ability to achieve gender equality. The importance of gender equality is underscored by its inclusion as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). Gender equality is acknowledged as being a precondition to achieving seven other SDGs.
While we celebrate the achievements of women individually and collectively; we must not lose sight of the fact that women face many barriers to gender equality in Botswana. Women are victims of Gender Based Violence, Gender Discrimination, Sexual Violence in all its forms and Harmful Gender Norms Practices such as Child Marriages. Therefore, concerted effort and collective action is greatly needed to fight barriers to gender equality and make gender equality a reality in our lifetime. Gender sensitive laws must be enacted, while concerted effort is made to implement and monitor implementation of existing laws.
#GenderEquality #BreakTheBias
For more information, contact BONELA on:
Katlego Sechele at ksechele@bonela.org or 72282025
Cindy Kelemi at cindyk@bonela.org or 72385054
