BOTSWANA APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (BAPS) PROJECT Report of the Civil Society APRM Submission Launch

The Botswana APRM Popular Sensitisation (BAPS) Project, a collaboration between the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), culminated in the April 20, 2021, launch of a civil society submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The project identified 12 key governance issues, including human rights, sustainable development, and food security, and sought to ensure the voices of marginalised groups—such as the LGBTQI+ community and indigenous communities—were included. Government representatives indicated that the submission's recommendations would inform Botswana's constitutional review process.

• The BAPS project identified 12 priority governance issues for the civil society submission: Human Rights, Separation of Powers, Public Service and Decentralisation, Citizen Participation and Economic Inclusion, Transparency and Accountability, Vulnerable Groups, Education, Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Management, Access to Land and Infrastructure, Food Security, Crime and Security, Research and Development, and Foreign Policy.
• The submission specifically addressed 'Vulnerable Groups' to promote inclusivity, incorporating perspectives from the elderly, disabled individuals, those living with HIV, youth, children, women, indigenous communities, and the LGBTQI+ community.
• The Government of Botswana, via the Advisor to the President, stated that many of the recommendations within the BAPS submission will be integrated into the national constitutional review process.
• The project utilized peer learning by involving resource persons from the APRM Secretariat and representatives from Zambia and Namibia, who had previously completed their own APRM reviews.

APA

Simelane, N. (2021). BOTSWANA APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (BAPS) PROJECT Report of the Civil Society APRM Submission Launch. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BAPS-Launch-Report_Final.pdf

Chicago

Simelane, Nkanyiso. BOTSWANA APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (BAPS) PROJECT Report of the Civil Society APRM Submission Launch. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BAPS-Launch-Report_Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Simelane |first1=Nkanyiso |title=BOTSWANA APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (BAPS) PROJECT Report of the Civil Society APRM Submission Launch |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=20 April 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BAPS-Launch-Report_Final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{simelane2021botswana, author = {Simelane, Nkanyiso}, title = {{BOTSWANA APRM POPULAR SENSITISATION (BAPS) PROJECT Report of the Civil Society APRM Submission Launch}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BAPS-Launch-Report_Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }