AS THE WORLD MARKS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Female politicians have been castigated for failing to properly articulate women’s issues and challenges once they assume high political offices.

Speaking during a three day workshop organized by the Independent Electoral Commission, Regional Magistrate Lorraine Makati – Lesang also castigated women for being their own enemies as they rarely vote for each other.

“Men make up 48 per cent of Botswana’s population and Batswana are relying on that 48 per cent to take them somewhere.

So Botswana is losing, women are losing so people are losing.

We need more women in parliament and council to articulate matters that affect women. We need your faces to be seen and voices to be heard in those forums,” she said.

She also said women should realize that standing together and speaking in one voice will bring about positive change.

“Let us make a personal commitment to start appreciating our female colleagues and stop the gossip and being jealous.

Having made the choice then change will certainly take place,” she said.

Lesang highlighted that not every woman can be a councillor or a parliamentarian and that women should only support those with leadership qualities.

“Supporting each other as women does not mean voting into office even those who don’t have leadership qualities.

What is important is that we are represented by women of substance, these are the women we need to support,” she said.

Furthermore female politicians were told to guard against gossiping about their female colleagues with their male rivals as this would be arming the rival with ammunition to defeat the woman candidate.

Meanwhile today marks International Women’s Day, an international campaign aimed to educate and sensitize the public about gender and development issues, to disseminate information to the public and to accord women the opportunity to celebrate the achievements made by women for women.

This year’s commemoration will be held under the theme; The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum

International-womens-day