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Advocacy
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Forums, Issues and Support
An integral part of BONELA’s work lies in its continuous and deliberate efforts to facilitate discourse around HIV and human rights issues in the public arena. BONELA regularly holds discussions engaging the public and policymakers on a range of current and timely topics.
In 2006, these themes include:
- Advocating for a law related to HIV/AIDS and Employment
- HIV Testing, Confidentiality and Informed Consent
- Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of HIV-positive Women
- HIV, Human Rights and People Living with Disabilities
- Condoms distribution in prisons. Click here to view leaflet
- Rights and Access to Care of Non-Heterosexual Communities
Recent years have seen BONELA organise a number of well-attended seminars, for example, on the future of Botswana’s national anti-retroviral treatment programme (August 2005) and Access to Care and Discrimination (April 2005). The latter focused on the discriminatory access to health care experienced by non-heterosexuals as a result of Botswana’s legal, cultural and social context.
BONELA also provides significant assistance to groups mobilised to combat the stigma and discrimination that is often unfairly targeted at them. Besides Bomme Isago, a network of HIV-positive women, BONELA supports LeGaBiBo (Lesbians Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana) including development of a strategic plan, fundraising for network activities, hosting of meetings and provision of office space and other resources. Leaflets produced by LeGaBiBo with the support of BONELA can be downloaded here.
National AIDS Council Sector on Ethics, Law and Human Rights
BONELA is the secretariat for the National AIDS Council (NAC) Sector on Ethics, Law and Human Rights. The NAC, chaired by his Excellency the President of Botswana, is the highest body in the country focused on developing strategies to combat the HIV epidemic.
The Sector is chaired by the Law Society of Botswana and is aimed at promoting human rights which are protected in laws such as the Constitution of Botswana and international and regional human rights instruments with respect to the prevention, management and control of HIV/AIDS.
The Sector has commissioned a draft review of all laws and policies in Botswana with respect to HIV/AIDS, addressing critical areas such as employment, age of consent and vulnerable communities.
In their advocacy, BONELA and the Sector jointly hosted a workshop in 2005 entitled Human Rights, HIV, and Governance involving the participation of Ntlo ya Dikgosi (the House of Chiefs) and members of Parliament. The workshop sought to inform and build capacity among policymakers who will eventually formulate and enact the related policies and laws. These events will continue.
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Outreach and Community Involvement
BONELA staff is involved in hosting booths and participating at community and health fairs as well as national events such as World AIDS Day commemorations. BONELA also holds awareness workshops at District Multi-Sectoral AIDS Committee events for communities around the country and responds to invitations to speak on aspects of the law, ethics and human rights as they relate to HIV/AIDS locally and regionally.
BONELA works with a constantly growing audience including government, civil society organisations, the private sector and the general public in both urban, semi-urban and, increasingly, in rural settings.
Botswana Lawyer’s Taskforce on HIV/AIDS
In addition, the Botswana Lawyers’ Taskforce on HIV/AIDS, who meet under the auspices of BONELA, serve as a technical advisory group of practicing lawyers (both private companies and civil servants) who focus on HIV/AIDS-related legal and ethical issues. This year, the taskforce are taking on the issue of HIV/AIDS prevention programmes for prison inmates, such as condom distribution.
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