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BOTSWANA 2022 VNR KEY MESSAGES
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES IN PLACE FOR INTEGRATING SDGs INTO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS
Botswana successfully integrated the SDGs into national development frameworks. The SDG planning guidelines serve as a tool for mainstreaming of SDG indicators into Botswana’s medium and long-term development frameworks. Nine ministries piloted the guidelines resulting in several indicators moving from easily feasible to measurable category.
Following the establishment of the National Steering Committee and the SDG Technical Task Force, the Parliament Special Committee on SDGs was set up to ensure sufficient resourcing and accountability for delivering the SDGs.
A FINANCING STRATEGY FOR SDGs IS BEING DEVELOPED
A gender-responsive and climate-smart SDG financing strategy is being developed. The process adopted several good practices including Zero-Based Budgeting, Results-Based Budgeting and the Integrated National Financing Framework.
PROGRESS TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY, BUT CHALLENGES REMAIN
Botswana has made strides towards achieving gender equality, boasting gender parity index of 0.95 vis-à-vis access to primary education. Progress has also been achieved against sexual and reproductive health and rights indicators. There has been a decline in AIDS-related deaths from 5300 (2017) to 5100 (2020). The total fertility rate has declined from 3 to 2.8 births per woman and contraceptive prevalence rate has increased from 53% (2017) to 64.7% (2020). Legislative reforms such as the Sexual Offenders Registry Act of 2021 have been enacted to address violence and exploitation. Also, coordinative mechanisms such as the Inter-Ministerial Committee, have been established to address Gender Based Violence (GBV). However, GBV still remains a challenge, with 1 in 3 women experiencing it in their lifetime. Pockets of unmet need for family planning exist, where 17% of women of reproductive age have an unmet need for family planning evidence. Although women constitute the largest proportion of the labour force, 55.4% of them remain unemployed versus 49.6% males. Despite legislative and policy reform, Botswana’s share of women in public sector decision making and in political leadership remains low. Only 18%, 11% and 25% of seats are held by women at the local government, parliament and cabinet level respectively.
ACHIEVING INCLUSIVE AND QUALITY EDUCATION
The public-private partnerships in the education sector have fostered an inclusive policy environment and strengthened collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. Botswana is implementing multilingualism and aiming to improve access to education for learners with disabilities. In effect, Botswana has developed a diversified education product that recognises different needs of learners.
COVID-19 catalysed the deployment of resources towards e-education, prompting partnerships with private sector to scale up digital access and ensure continuity of education.
Despite high primary and secondary enrolment rates, early childhood and tertiary education lag behind. Though Botswana’s public expenditure on education stands at 7.1% of GDP, investment in tertiary education is six times that of basic education. 63.4% of tertiary students come from the top two income quintiles. There is a need to focus on pre-primary and primary education to strengthen the basic foundations for life-long learning.
STRENGTHENED SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT FINANCING
Biodiversity management is central to Botswana’s development agenda, utilising about 3% of GDP. Tourism contributes about 12% to GDP, most of which is attributable to biodiversity, given that 40% of the land mass is protected.
Botswana initiated public sector budgeting and financing reforms and developed a biodiversity finance plan. It also developed a Community Based Natural Resources Management Program to benefit communities. The National Environmental Fund is in place to support Community Organizations with grants for implementing biodiversity conservation projects. To ensure integrated land use management that support the maintenance of the natural capital, the National Spatial Plan is being rolled out.
BUILDING BACK BETTER FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The pandemic had a significant impact on SDGs achievement, with an increase in unemployment and a marked slowdown in economic activity. The negative economic impact of COVID-19 resulted in reduced foreign reserves.
In response, an Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ERTP) was developed to boost economic activity and incomes and expand productive capacity. Notable initiatives emerging from this include a private sector recovery plan and support for informal sector. The ETRP is also predicated on broad-based partnerships and outlines the means of implementation.
