Faith Over Fists?: Gov’t Turns to God as GBV Spirals Out of Control
As gender-based violence (GBV) cases surge across Botswana, the government has turned to divine intervention, launching a national Week of Prayer Against GBV on June 13, 2025.
Spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs (MYGA), the initiative has sparked mixed reactions from the public, with some hailing the spiritual approach while others call it a distraction from real, enforceable action.
According to Minister of MYGA Lesego Chombo the government took a decision to look unto God because of the gravity of the issues that surround GBV issues.
She said the nation needs to ask for mercy from God that he may have mercy on those that have been abused, that God may have mercy on those that have been raped, and that God may transform the hearts of those that abuse.
Chombo explained that the decision to pray against the GBV stems from a realisation that spirituality is the core of one's emotions, and it is important to pray to God so that he helps people through the tough times.
Chombo noted that prayer can help those who are being abused to find healing as their spirits walk through the tough times they have faced.
She explained that prayer brings faith and hope for victims and helps rejuvenate one's soul.
“The solution to GBV lies in every religious building,” Chombo said, urging religious institutions to open their doors for those who have been abused. The week of prayer comes as incidents of GBV continue to be reported and spark national outrage.
Advocate Martin De Klerk has called for immediate, actionable steps to tackle the ongoing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) crisis, saying it is long overdue for Botswana to move from talk to decisive implementation.
“GBV, GBV! I really don’t understand why we’re still talking. This is a national crisis with clear solutions,” De Klerk said.
He proposed a bold and structured 10-point plan that he believes could drastically reduce GBV incidents and ensure justice for victims while curbing repeat offences.
At the centre of De Klerk’s proposal is community-level infrastructure that brings services closer to the people. He calls for the creation of dedicated GBV kiosks across the country, offering walk-in consultations for victims and concerned individuals.
The government must deploy trained police, counsellors, and social workers directly into communities where early intervention is possible.
He also calls for the establishment of GBV courts with strict timelines to ensure cases are resolved swiftly, ideally within three to six months.
De Klerk takes a hardline stance on bail, calling for automatic denial of bail for GBV suspects to protect victims and deter repeat violence.
To monitor offenders, he suggests mandatory counselling and the use of technology, including ankle monitoring gadgets for accused persons, alongside victim alert devices to prevent tragic encounters such as the recent University of Botswana femicide.
“Victims don’t need paperwork, they need protection,” he added, advocating for a case intensity assessment framework that determines the level of threat and enables the state to act proactively rather than reactively.
De Klerk also stresses the need for government-funded shelters and childcare services, particularly for women and children displaced by violence. He believes civil society organisations should receive support to run national awareness campaigns and deep, community-level interventions.
One of his more culturally rooted proposals is to redefine community responsibility, urging that principles like Ntebela kego lebele, traditionally used to safeguard property should now extend to GBV, empowering neighbours and relatives to report and intervene early.
Finally, De Klerk pushes for strong legal penalties, not just for violence, but also for abuse of trust. In a controversial but pointed remark, he argued that if a man can prove significant personal
investments into a relationship, women who abuse such trust should be liable for compensation, advocating for a legal framework that holds both parties accountable.
“We cannot pray away GBV, we must fund, legislate, and enforce,” De Klerk said. that Prayer can never replace the responsibility of the state. To enforce order, legislate justice and formulate laws.
He explained that we should let the church guide the soul, but let the government protect the body.