Botswana Council of NGOs

30/09/2026

Happy 60th Independence Day, Botswana! 🇧🇼

Botswana Council of NGOs joins the nation in celebrating Bots@60.

29/09/2026

THE FUTURE OF BOTSWANA!

Congratulations to Bonolo Phukula, winner of our call on Botswana at 60: What new models can be used to organize democratic institutions that can deliver and are representative?

🎙️ Catch this conversation on Gabz FM!
In partnership with Gabz-FM and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Botswana

THE FUTURE OF BOTSWANA!

Congratulations to Bonolo Phukula, winner of our call on Botswana at 60: What new models can be used to organize democratic institutions that can deliver and are representative?

🎙️ Catch this conversation on Gabz FM!
In partnership with Gabz-FM and Botswana Council of NGOs

28/09/2026

Good evening, We are live on Gabz FM at the Morwa Community Hall discussing the constitution court Bill with the community in Kgatleng. Please join us on our page and share your perspectives.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19PowKZ6fP/?mibextid=wwXIfr

22/09/2026

BOCONGO CONVENES CSO CONSULTATION ON BOTSWANA’S ACCESSION TO KEY HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES

BOCONGO is convening a three-day Civil Society Consultative Workshop on Botswana’s proposed accession to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, in collaboration with the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Building on the national consultation held in October 2025, the workshop brings together over 50 civil society organisations and other stakeholders to examine what accession would mean in practical terms for people in Botswana.

The discussions are focused on identifying the gaps, priorities and measures needed to translate international commitments into meaningful rights and protections across areas including health, education, housing, work, social security, equality and nationality rights.

A key outcome of the consultation will be a Civil Society Position Paper, capturing the collective views and recommendations of CSOs on what Botswana’s accession should mean in practice, including the legislative, policy, institutional and implementation measures required.

The consultation will also inform a 12-month Civil Society Plan of Action to sustain advocacy, public awareness, monitoring and engagement beyond the workshop.

From accession on paper to rights in practice.

18/09/2026

PRESS STATEMENT: BOCONGO CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE AFRICAN HERO INITIATIVE

16/09/2026

🇧🇼 BOTSWANA STATE AT 60: LOOKING BACK TO APPRECIATE THE PRESENT AND FORECASTING THE FUTURE

Last week, the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Botswana, convened the Botswana State at 60 Symposium.

The symposium brought together government, Parliament, civil society, organised labour, academia, development partners, the private sector and the media to reflect on Botswana’s 60-year journey and to look ahead to the future of the Botswana state.

The discussions were informed by six ideas selected through the Botswana@60 Call for Ideas, which invited Batswana to think critically about the country’s present and propose ideas for its future:

• Is Botswana working for all Batswana? A creative case for the inclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities in the social, political and economic spheres.

• From observer to active citizen: How to truly guarantee public participation in our democracy?

• A democracy that delivers: How to organise service delivery in a post-diamond world? Can social protection be means-tested and rights-based?

• The Climate Crisis hitting hard: How can a structured Just Transition policy framework away from fossil fuel be organised to foster ecological, economic and social justice for Batswana?

• Botswana at 60: The Constitution we want! What new models can be used to organise democratic institutions that can deliver and are representative?

• The Trade Unions at the core of the new Botswana: Balancing productivity, merit and workers’ rights in a diversified economy.

The six ideas and the discussions generated will contribute to a publication capturing reflections and proposals for Botswana’s future, providing a resource for continued policy dialogue beyond the symposium.

For BOCONGO, this was an opportunity to create space for ideas, constructive debate and citizen perspectives as Botswana enters its seventh decade.

60 years behind us. The next 60 are ours to shape. 🇧🇼

16/09/2026

🇫🇷 FRANCE SUPPORTS 10 GBV SURVIVORS IN MOGOBANE 🇧🇼

BOCONGO was pleased to be part of the closing ceremony of the Survivors’ Economic Empowerment Programme in Mogobane, supported by the Embassy of France in Botswana and implemented by the Botswana Council of NGOs (BOCONGO) through its member organisation, Research Xcellas.

The programme supported 10 ex-prisoners and survivors of gender-based violence with psychosocial support and business training, equipping participants with practical skills and support as they work towards rebuilding their lives and strengthening their economic independence.

A key component of the initiative was a randomized control study to assess the outcomes of the intervention and generate evidence on the effectiveness of this holistic approach. The findings will contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen GBV policy and programming in Botswana.

For BOCONGO, this initiative demonstrates the importance of partnerships that bring together civil society organisations, development partners and research institutions to develop evidence-based responses to gender-based violence and support survivors in meaningful ways.

We appreciate the French Embassy in Botswana for its support and Research Xcellas for its role in implementing the programme.

As the programme concludes, BOCONGO remains committed to strengthening civil society’s contribution to the prevention and response to gender-based violence and advancing the empowerment of women and girls across Botswana.

16/09/2026

CIVIL SOCIETY TAKES PROACTIVE STEPS TOWARDS STRENGTHENING GBV PREVENTION, PROTECTION, RESPONSE AND EMPOWERMENT IN BOTSWANA

Last week, the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) convened its Gender and Human Rights Thematic Group to advance the development of a Civil Society Gender-Based Violence Prevention, Protection, Response and Empowerment Laypersons Bill.

This initiative marks an important step in civil society’s proactive engagement in strengthening Botswana’s response to gender-based violence (GBV).

As Government is currently in the process of developing a GBV Bill, BOCONGO and its civil society partners have embarked on a parallel process to develop a civil society-led laypersons Bill that brings together the experiences, perspectives and recommendations of civil society organisations working on gender equality, human rights and GBV prevention and response.

The development of the Civil Society Laypersons Bill is being informed by the SADC Model Law on Gender-Based Violence, alongside relevant national, regional and international legal and policy frameworks, including CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, and ILO Convention No. 190 and Recommendation No. 206.

This process seeks to ensure that civil society’s recommendations are grounded in established human rights standards, regional commitments and the lived realities of communities affected by GBV.

As part of this process, BOCONGO will undertake a nationwide consultative process, engaging civil society organisations across the country and communities to gather their perspectives, experiences and recommendations to inform the development of the Bill.

This approach recognises that meaningful public participation in legislation should begin at the drafting stage, creating opportunities for civil society and communities to contribute to the development of laws that affect their lives.

The Civil Society Laypersons Bill is envisioned to serve two important purposes:

🔹 Informing Government’s legislative process: Providing recommendations from civil society to contribute to and strengthen the Government’s GBV Bill.

🔹 Strengthening advocacy and civic education: Serving as a practical tool for civil society organisations to engage communities, raise awareness and promote understanding of GBV prevention, protection, response and empowerment.

Through this process, BOCONGO is positioning civil society to contribute meaningfully to national policy and legislative development, ensuring that the voices and experiences of communities and organisations working on the ground inform the conversation.

Civil society must not only respond to legislation when it is presented. We must also be proactive in shaping the conversations, contributing evidence and advancing solutions that promote a just, equal and integrated Botswana.

BOCONGO remains committed to strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations and fostering collaborative action towards a Botswana free from gender-based violence.