The new year is in full swing and as we settle into it, setting new goals and make new changes in our life, we also need to continue old patriarchal fights and ideologies. A few weeks back we awakened to the sad news of yet another sister, Zinedine Karabo Gioia who went public on a date rape that occurred on her 21st birthday. An online petition dubbed “Justice for Zinedine” encouraged other young women to speak up and tell their stories, and expose their rapists.
Her story as ell s the petition can be found via:
Zinedine Karabo Gioia deserves justice.
In January 2019, The Botswana Police Service released preliminary statistics on rape cases reported over the festive season, between the 21st December 2018 and 3rd January 2019. The statistics indicated that 109 rape cases were reported and recorded during the said period.
According to the PHENOMENAL AFRICAN WOMAN FOUNDATION, BOTSWANA CHAPTER,
‘It would seem to appear from the revelations that most of these women were not afforded justice, as some of the cases were never opened, and, some cases did not go beyond the initial reporting stage, while others stated that their police dockets went missing. As a result, the victims were never afforded the justice they deserved and the perpetrators are roaming the streets, unpunished. Hence, Women in Botswana are not safe.’
What is THE PHENOMENAL AFRICAN WOMAN FOUNDATION, BOTSWANA CHAPTER?
PAW Foundation- Botswana Chapter is a newly registered (July 2017) not for profit, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), established as a Trust under the Deeds Registry Act [CAP 33:02] of the Republic of Botswana. It is an affiliate of the Phenomenal African Woman Foundation, an international NGO for the African Woman across all spheres and strata [i.e. business, academia, government and other sectors] intended to ensure she takes her pride in nation building, enterprise and the furtherance of peace on the continent, with its headquarters housed in Nigeria, West Africa. PAW Foundation is an African movement with about sixteen (16) other Chapters established in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mali, Gambia, Rwanda, Zambia, Senega, and Ethiopia.
The NGO is positioned to contribute to Botswana’s growth and development by designing and implementing programs which will ignite a better future and an environment where children and women are able to have access to better facilities, financial, educational, health and humanitarian support and services that will contribute to the achievement of their goals in life and accord them equal rights for the development of their community. The NGO’s vision is to be the foremost organisation championing the cause of the African woman in Botswana. The vision is to be achieved through its methodology of Insipiring, Celebrating and Empowering (I.C.E) the African woman, under its five(5) thematic areas of focus being, media & entertainment, education, health, empowerment and entrepreneurial and leadership and development.
The NGO targets all women in Botswana in an effort to equip them with skills and survival tips for life and help them achieve their individual or community-building objectives. These women are normally faced with gender based related challenges when it comes to access, to inter alia, securing funds, market information, networking and technology as well cultural biases that impede their efforts and often leads to missed opportunities.
PAW Foundation-Botswana Chapter operates under the tagline, “Mosadi Letlotlo” which translates to “Woman Abundance”.
LEGACY
PAW Foundation- Botswana Chapter aims to leave a legacy for the country, the continent of Africa as well as the world. The legacy is to adopt an all-inclusive approach in furtherance of its vision, which will see all women and girls including those with disabilities inspired, celebrated and empowered within its five (5) thematic areas of focus, so that they also become phenomenal in their own right. In addition, PAW Foundation- Botswana Chapter will establish a sixth thematic area of focus being, sports and implore its I.C.E methodology to further the cause of women in the area. To achieve this, the Chapter intends to form networks and collaborate with organisations that are active in gender mainstreaming as well as women and girls’ empowerment in Botswana.
For more information contact:
Bosa Wame Daisy Sebele
bosasebele@gmail.com
Skype: bosa.sebele1
Website: bosasebele.com
rosiemoteneblog 