65. Botswana should appoint an institution responsible for ensuring provision of training
to all judges and judicial officers, in accordance with the Commission’s Principles and
Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa.
Freedom of expression and access to information
66. Botswana should:
i. Revise the Cybercrime and Related Crimes Act to ensure that the law is in line
with the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa and does
not impose restrictions on the freedom of expression;
ii. Repeal criminal defamation laws which impede freedom of speech in accordance
with the Commission’s Resolution ACHPR/Res.169 (XLVIII)10 on Repealing
Criminal Defamation Laws in Africa;
iii. Amend the Botswana Communication Regulatory Authority Act to explicitly
allow the licensing and regulation of community broadcasters and produce
policies to that effect as well as initiate public awareness of community
broadcasting and its benefits;
iv. Amend the Botswana Communication Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) Act to
provide for the regulation of the state broadcaster and consider transforming the
state broadcaster into a public service broadcaster;
v. Enact a Freedom of Information Act which reflects international best practice.
Freedom of association and assembly
67. Botswana should initiate legislative and other measures to promote and protect the
rights of Human Rights Defenders, in conformity with the African Charter, the UN
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Kigali and Grand Bay Declarations,
in addition to other regional and international human rights instruments which
guarantee the right to freedom of association and assembly.
The right to participate in the conduct of public affairs
68. Botswana should enact equality legislation or policy and affirmative action
programmes aimed at encouraging the political participation of women, persons with
disabilities and ethnic minorities in efforts to increase their representation in various
organs of government, especially political bodies such as parliament.
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
69. Botswana should enact enabling legislation for the promotion and protection of socioeconomic rights, in order to ensure justiciability in accordance with the African
Charter.
The right to work
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