Gender Issues in Botswana

Once becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer, there are different committees that a volunteer can join in their country post. Volunteers, with a faculty advisor, largely run committee’s. Committees in each country are different, and are based on the country’s existing Peace Corps programs and the perceived needs of the country.

In Botswana, there was one committee that I wanted to join immediately: Gender Committee. As a graduate from an all-women’s college, Smith College, I am particularly passionate about women’s empowerment and gender equality.

In Botswana, gender equality is an upward battle. Many men and women in Botswana are expected to uphold traditional gender roles. For example, women and girls are expected to cook, clean and look after the children. Men go to the lands and look after cattle. In tribal society, the ability to be a local tribal leader is passed down through males (although there are a few female tribal leaders, who were voted in by their villages). When dating, men are supposed to pay for airtime, phones, clothes and other materials for women.

Gender inequality is a large reason why HIV continues to prevail, and why more women have HIV than men. Many women and young girls stay with abusive partners, engage in transactional sex, and don’t feel like they can negotiate for condom use during sex because their partners provide them with monetary goods and they feel in their debt. In addition, some families encourage their daughters to continue in these types of unsafe behaviors because their boyfriends are providing the family with money or gifts. In workshops I have held on the topic of gender based violence, women have told me that they oftentimes engage in multiple sexual relationships because they are afraid that their partners might leave them suddenly, and their source of income would disappear. This puts them at a higher risk for HIV, STDs and unplanned pregnancies.

According to the most recent Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BIAS IV), conducted from January to April of 2013, the national prevalence rate in Botswana is 18.5%, an increase from the previous BIAS III study, where there was a 17.6% national prevalence rate. Women in Botswana have a higher prevalence rate of HIV, with a prevalence of 20.8%, while men have a prevalence of 15.6% nationwide. Among women, the HIV prevalence rate peaks between the ages of 35-39, with 50.6% of this age group in Botswana infected. The highest rate of HIV for men occurs from the ages of 40-44, at a prevalence rate of 43.8%

In my district, Central Mahalapye, there is a 23.1% prevalence rate, with 20.1% of men infected, and 25.9% of women infected. Men aged 25-29 have a prevalence rate of 39.5% while women in the same age group have a prevalence rate of 50.7%. The results for the age group 30 to 34 is even more drastic with a prevalence rate of 74.3% for women, and 20.7% for men.

Gender Based Violence is also a large problem in Botswana, and according to the BIAS results, 24.8% of women who had a premature sexual debut said that their sexual encounter was not consensual.

As a member of Gender Committee, I try to break these gender stereotypes and encourage female empowerment by mainstreaming gender into almost all of my activities. For example, one of my favorite gender activities is titled “Sex or Gender.”  In “Sex or Gender,” after explaining the differences between sex and gender, I place three signs around the room I am in. One sign says “Boys/Men,” one says “Girls/Women,” and the last one says “Both.” I then show participants a series of words/phrases. Depending on the word, participants will go and stand under the sign they believe is appropriate for the word. Examples of words/phrases include: breastfeeds, goes to university, washes the dishes, provides for the family, takes care of children, cleans the house, fixes the house, cooks, owns land, drives a car, etc.

I’ve done this exercise with both adults and youth, and the signs participants stand under for each statement always varies. However, most answers tend towards the more traditional. For example, during one exercise, I held up the phrase, “washes dishes.” Most of the students I was working with stood under the “Girls/Women” sign. When I asked why, one of the boys said “women clean dishes better than men.”  Another example is when I hold up the phrase “takes care of children.” Almost always, participants move towards the “Girls/Women” sign. This is because in Botswana, women are considered the primary caregivers. Is government hospitals, men are not allowed in the birthing room at hospitals or clinics and are typically not supposed to see their child for a few weeks or months after s/he has been born. The mother and the members of her family who are female travel to take care of the new mother and newborn child.

After each statement, I always make sure that the participants understand what category the statement belongs to: sex or gender. Providing alternate examples helps participants to further understand that gender expectations are malleable, and in fact do change from culture to culture. For the “washes dishes” phrase, I always use the example that in my home, my mother traditionally cooks, while my father cleans the dishes. For the “takes care of children” phrase, I love explaining that in America, men are expected to be in the birthing room and are supposed to cut the umbilical cord when their child is born. Men are expected to have an equal role to women in childrearing, and are expected to participate in all childrearing activities, such as changing diapers or playing with the child. Seeing participants’ shocked expressions when I explain that my father cut my umbilical cord is always priceless.

Gender inequality exists in a lot of places, not just Botswana. And, despite the challenges in reaching gender equality, there are many parts of Botswana culture that encourage and promote gender equality. For example, in Botswana there are many female members of parliament, and the Speaker of Parliament is a woman. In fact, there is a lot of gender equality at the professional level in Botswana.

In order to achieve gender equality, both men and women of all ages need to be sensitized towards its benefits and importance. As such, I am focusing a large part of my service on gender work. And, I hope, that by the time I leave Botswana, I will have had a positive impact on the road to gender equality.