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Parliamentarians for Women's Health |
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Botswana |
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Top level
Country Projects
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Landlocked in southern Africa, Botswana’s population numbered 1.8 million in 2003. The nation has been hit hard by HIV and AIDS with one of the highest known rates of HIV infection. In 2003, one in three adults was living with HIV and AIDS; more than half of them were women. Due to the epidemic, life expectancy has dropped precipitously from 56 years in the 1970s to 36 years for women in 2003, while the population growth rate is expected to plunge to -0.4 percent by 2015.
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For country activities click here
Poverty
Once considered one of the world’s poorest countries, Botswana has experienced sustained economic growth since gaining independence in 1966. The country has transformed itself into a middle-income economy, based largely on diamond mining, with a gross domestic product of $7.5 billion in 2003.
Unfortunately, economic gains are not felt evenly, and nearly half the population lives in poverty. The economic marginalization of women is especially acute: Half of female-headed households are poor. In Botswana, more women than men are literate, which is unusual compared to other African countries, and more women enroll and complete primary education. However, violence against women—including rape, domestic violence and the defilement of girls younger than 16—is a long-standing and widespread problem in Botswana. And women often lack access to economic resources such as credit and financial services because of cultural and legal norms in the country.
Overview of Botswana Population
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Total population (in millions), 2003
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1.8
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Population annual growth rate, 2003-2015
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-0.4%
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Gross Domestic Product (US$ billions)
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7.5
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Total adult literacy
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78.9%
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Adult male literacy rate
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76.1%
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Adult female literacy rate
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81.5%
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Source: U.N. Development Programme. Human Development Report, 2005
Women’s Health Indicators: Botswana
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Indicators
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Statistics
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Life expectancy at birth
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Women: 36.7 years; Men: 35.9 years
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Under-5 mortality rate
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112 out of 1,000 births
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Percent children immunized against measles
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90% of 1 year olds fully immunized
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Maternal mortality ratio
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100 per 100,000 live births
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Malaria rate
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48,704 per 100,000 persons (2000)
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HIV prevalence
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39.3% 2003)
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TB prevalence
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342 per 100,000 persons (2002)
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Source: U.N. Development Programme. Human Development Report, 2005
Country Activities
New Legal Policy Group in Botswana to Identify Legislative Priorities
Parliamentarians for Women’s Health in Botswana has convened a legal policy group to identify priority legislative areas toward improving women’s health in Botswana, particularly women affected and infected with HIV and AIDS. The group will:
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Review and comment on the legal audit of legislation that has direct relevance to women’s health in Botswana;
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Review and comment on policy gaps based on a policy analysis of women’s access to health care in Botswana;
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Assist in identifying the obstacles that hinder women’s access to health care services in Botswana;
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Share information and experiences in their respective capacities with regard to access to health care services for women; and
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Develop a plan for legislative action by making recommendations to members of parliament to improve access to health care for women and lobby for increased budgetary allocations for women’s health.
For more information, read the Botswana legal background brief.
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