Botswana

Played leading role during May Open Session on CAAC/attacks on schools in Addis. Engagement with Addis Ambassador for endorsement. Outreach with meeting request in NY ahead of CAAC open debate 2016, shared with Ambassador in Addis. R2P friends may be able to raise SSD with the NY mission as well.

August 2016: CAAC Open Debate: “My delegation welcomes efforts such as the Children, Not Soldiers campaign; the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict; and the Safe Schools Declaration. We believe that these are timely initiatives that will go a long way towards complementing ongoing efforts to end the use of children in armed conflict and protecting facilities such as schools and hospitals.” “We must guarantee the full protection of the rights of children so as to enable them to attend school without interruption, enjoy access to all social services that contribute to their development and well-being, so that they can realize their full potential.”

January 2017: Advocacy meeting with GVA mission. New to the issue, and was curious as to why it was relevant to Botswana. We made the connection to their domestic commitment to education, and their contribution to peacekeeping, and their connections with fellow-endorsees South Africa and Zambia. Also shared the great support and interest of their ambassador to the AU, who she promised to reach out to. Said she couldn’t see any reasons why Botswana would not endorse, but would let us know if she got any questions.

March 2017: Botswana Foreign Minister announced that they would endorse on Twitter. No endorsement letter received.

April 2017: HRW wrote to the Ambassador in NY who said he would follow up accordingly.

June 2017: Botswana NY mission advise that they have endorsed. The Minister of International Affairs and Co-operation signed the endorsement letter. GCPEA issued a letter of appreciation for endorsement to the Foreign Minister of Botswana. Save the Children Addis has secured agreement from the ambassador of Botswana to be a member of the Friends of CAAC at the African Union when it is established. The ambassador will also carry out peer advocacy for other member states to endorse the Declaration and implement and report on the Guidelines. Human Rights Watch made a submission to the UPR on Botswana, highlighting their endorsement of the Declaration.

September 2017 UNSC: GCPEA sent a letter asking to raise the issue of attacks and military use and draw attention to Declaration and Guidelines and also mention the AU call to endorse and congratulate them of the endorsing since the last debate during the Open Debate on children and armed and conflict. Botswana delivered a statement in occasion of the Save the Children Pan Africa and AU Liaison Office in Addis Abeba high level dialogue to protect education from attacks and military use and to promote the implementation of the Declaration and Guidelines.

March 2019: Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the SRSG Ms. Virginia Gamba, HRC Geneva: reffered to child abduction from schools. Joined Norway’s joint statement on the Safe Schools Declaration.

July 2022: At the UNSC CAAC debate : on behalf of GoF on responsibility to Protect
– Deeply concerned by abductions of children and forced recruitment
– Acknowledge efforts made by states that have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration.