November 25 commemorates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Until December 10, which marks International Human Rights Day, officials, communities, and individuals in countries around the world will engage in efforts to raise public awareness on an epidemic that crosses all boundaries: gender-based violence (GBV).
Worldwide, an estimated one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Here in Botswana, a country rightly known for its history of peace and its commitment to the rule of law, women and children have been victims of violence at alarming rates. In 2012, Gender Links for Equality and Justice, a non-governmental organization that promotes gender equality and justice across Southern Africa, published the Gender Based Violence Indicators Study Botswana, in collaboration with the Government of Botswana’s Gender Affairs Department. The study found that over two-thirds of women in Botswana have experienced some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime, and 62% of women reported being victims of intimate partner violence.
The numbers are an affront to basic human decency. None of us wish to live in a world where our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters face these brutal odds of being victimized. But research shows us that this violence results in more than the accumulation of individual tragedies; it robs societies of productivity and potential. Talented citizens who could contribute to economic growth, job creation, and development never get the chance to unleash their potential. By compromising the health, dignity, and security of victims, GBV endangers the well-being and prosperity of families, communities, and countries.
Indeed, the consequences of GBV are multifaceted and far-reaching. To take just one example highly relevant to Botswana, studies indicate that the risk of HIV among women who have experienced violence may be up to three times higher than among those who have not. Gender-based violence fosters the spread of HIV/AIDS by limiting one’s ability to negotiate safe sexual practices, disclose HIV status, and access services — all due to fear of reprisal.
The abuse is especially tragic when children are victims. In March 2013, the Government of Botswana, in collaboration with the U.S. government, conducted the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey. The survey found that among students who reported having sexual intercourse, 13% reported they were raped the first time they had sexual relations. The figures are especially chilling because of the cyclical nature of the problem. Research indicates that experiencing violence as a child increases one’s risk of experiencing or perpetrating violence later in life.
My own country confronts this problem every day as well; no society is immune. Collectively, we must confront the ugly truth of these statistics, and hold ourselves accountable for addressing them. We can, and must, learn from and support each other to combat GBV.
The United States of America has made fighting GBV a domestic and foreign policy priority. Likewise, the Government of Botswana has acknowledged the problem at the highest levels, and is taking important steps to address it. I hope that the United States can continue to be a helpful partner in the ongoing response, especially because significant gains are within Botswana’s reach. In 2008, the Government of Botswana passed the Domestic Violence Act, which was a major policy step toward addressing issues of intimate partner violence. Implementation is the next critical step. Finalizing and approving the draft implementation guidelines for the Domestic Violence Act of 2008 would provide concrete protocols and guidelines for responding to, and addressing, domestic violence. This could give the many compassionate and committed law enforcement professionals, social workers, and others the tools they need to build a better Botswana.
Results from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey indicate that more must be done to protect children from being victimized. Enacting a gender-based violence prevention policy within schools would create standard procedures to guide institution-level prevention and response. By raising awareness and making accountability consistent and predictable, such an effort could go a long way toward protecting future generations.
Institutionalizing standards and protocols addressing gender within both the private and public sectors could facilitate a more effective response to GBV by sensitizing the workforce to issues of gender inequalities. The Gender Affairs Department has drafted a Gender and Development Policy, which, if adopted, would mainstream gender policies and workplace initiatives within each government ministry.
But government officials cannot tackle the problem alone. Everyone has a role to play in combating GBV. Each one of us is accountable for our own behavior. Each of us has a decision to make when we see a bruised colleague at work, when we hear violence taking place next door, or when we see inappropriate relationships between adults and children. We can pretend not to notice, or we can reach out, offer support, insist that Botswana’s laws be respected, and demand that perpetrators be held accountable. We can fight stigma by making it clear that shame should fall upon the abuser, not the abused, for clearly it is shameful to beat your partner or sexually exploit a child. While these days of activism serve to spotlight the problem, real success will be achieved only by asking more of ourselves every day.
*Michelle D. Gavin is United States Ambassador to Botswana
