GOV.BW

The Department of Gender Affairs is mandated to facilitate the mainstreaming of gender issues in the development process.

In the past decade, women’s Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and groups, have been active players in the social and economic development of Botswana. Following the United Nation’s (UN) Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, the need to empower women for their advancement in all spheres of development was identified. A major priority was the need for enough financial and human resources for the advancement of women.

As a way of empowering women’s NGOs, CBOs, and groups, the Government of Botswana allocates funds to the Department of Gender Affairs annually with the intention of assisting these organizations. The Department of Gender Affairs then helps women’s organizations and groups that are promoting gender issues, particularly those in line with areas of concern adopted by the Government of Botswana during the 1995 UN Forth World Conference on Women.

These priorities include:

•  Women and poverty, including economic empowerment.
•  Women in power and decision-making positions.
•  Education and training of women.
•  Women and health.
•  Violence against women, including women’s human rights.
•  The girl-child.

For the Government of Botswana to continue to provide financial support to women’s NGOs, CBOs and groups, a framework regarding the relationship between the Department of Gender Affairs and its beneficiaries was developed.

The “Policy Guideline for Financial Support for Women” seeks to strengthen administrative procedures and enhance both the efficiency and the effectiveness of the Department of Gender Affair’s support to women’s NGOs, CBOs, and groups.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme is an initiative to help groups of women obtain seed money to start their own income generating projects. This grant also accommodate groups that include both women and men.

The visitor’s visa is issued to people visiting Botswana for social reasons such as:

1. Visiting friends or relatives.
2. Obtaining medical treatment.
3. Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organisations.
4. Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating.
5. Enrolment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation).
6. For the visa to remain valid, the applicant must not work for, provide services or sell goods to businesses or the public in Botswana. The visa is valid up to 2 years for dependents of resident.

This is  issued to people who intend to visit Botswana for recreational purposes, or for other short-term non work related purposes. This visa allows entry into Botswana for up to one (1) month and is extendable on justification. The applicant must not engage in any employment while on a tourism visa, or else the visa will be rendered invalid.

A study visa is issued to students who have been accepted by educational institutions in Botswana. The visa is issued for up to three months and is extendable with justification.

This visa is issued to business people who regularly visit Botswana as directors of companies based in the country. It is also issued to individuals who have investment projects in Botswana. The visa authorizes the holder to enter Botswana for investment purposes for a period of up to five (5) years.