Written question asked by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) on Wednesday, 5 February 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 February 2025. It was answered by Lord Collins of Highbury (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 February 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Botswana: Equality

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Minister for Africa held during his recent visit to Botswana regarding their policies on promoting gender equality, progress on LGBT+ rights and their priorities in formulating policies on sexual and reproductive rights.

Answer: I met with a wide range of civil society groups on my visit to Botswana in January, including Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals of Botswana, Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations, and Feminist Alliance Botswana. Discussions included the challenges that LGBT+ groups and women face living in Botswana, as well as the political space they have to promote further equality. We also discussed the challenges of gender-based violence and women's representation in politics. I set out UK thinking on these issues, and where we feel we can support Botswana's policy goals to address them.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL4729
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: Equality Gender Sexual and reproductive health Botswana LGBT+ people
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk