Water crisis hits women and girls hardest
The Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale says the continent's water and sanitation crisis is not just an infrastructure problem, but a gender crisis.
Speaking during the 63rd anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity and Africa Day commemoration on Monday, Butale declared that the burden of water scarcity and inadequate sanitation “falls disproportionately on women and girls,” compromising their health, safety, and dignity every single day.
“When clean water is scarce, sanitation systems deteriorate, forcing women and girls to feel unsafe using facilities outside their homes. They bear the heaviest burden of inadequate hygiene, compromising their health, safety, and dignity on a daily basis,” he said.
Butale reminded Batswana that their country is semi-arid, where “every drop counts.” He acknowledged that most parts of the country face inadequate water supply, with persistent shortages driven by growing demand and climate change.
“Nonetheless, it remains our responsibility as Government to provide reliable water supply and sanitation services,” he said.
He outlined Botswana’s response under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), which identifies water as a critical area for transformation.
The BETP’s Water and Infrastructure Pillar aims to shift from reactive interventions to a proactive, delivery-focused approach. Key initiatives include: · Accelerating mega-infrastructure pipelines to connect water sources to dry settlements. · Deploying smart storage technologies for drought security. · Unlocking private sector partnerships for efficient funding and implementation.
Butale also called on African and global investors to partner with Botswana for “shared growth and mutual benefit.”
The Minister linked water and sanitation directly to education and behavioural change. He noted that the Government of Botswana’s Sanitation Roadmap, Activity 8, calls for a national campaign for behavioural change,
including integrating sanitation and hygiene education into all schools.
“Schools have the power to influence entire communities,” he said.
Beyond water, Butale used the Africa Day platform to announce that Botswana is developing a Diaspora Strategy aimed at mobilising citizens abroad to transform their networks into economic, cultural, and diplomatic capital for the country.