Botswana

Botswana will be among the countries that will be represented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Durban, from 28 November to 9 December 2011.

Botswana’s director of metereological services, Phetolo Phage, points out that in efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, the country has also held a couple of awareness programmes to encourage, among other things, tree planting, discouraging deforestation, highlighting the significance of rain water harvesting, and the use of recycled water.

“We want Botswana to be represented in a big way; we will cooperate with everybody, including NGOs,” explains Phage.

To read the article titled, “Botswana to attend Durban climate change conference,” click here.

The Organisation of African Youth (OAYouth) is the youth platform for information exchange, forum for debate on African issues and a network of future political, corporate, academic, literary, religious and traditional leaders in all African contexts.

The African Youth Day was declared and adopted by the African Union (AU) in 2006 to be commemorated on 1 November each year. It has since evolved as the most powerful platform of young people of Africa.

OAYouth, in collaboration with Phelps Stokes and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is hosting the ‘African Youth Day Conference 2011 (AYDAC'11)’ on 1 November 2011 in Johannesburg.

The youth of Africa will convene at AYDAC’11 to celebrate the African Youth Day. The conference will pave way for youth to examine workable methods to improve youth unity as well as strengthen youth economic empowerment through leadership development, entrepreneurship support and agricultural transformation.

Conference Objectives:

• Echo the voice of ordinary young people of Africa;
• Share information and best practices in promoting opportunities for youth encouraging youth to start new entrepreneurship initiatives;
• Establish suitable structures for meeting the unique needs for youth business start-ups in developing economies in Africa;
• Build lasting relationships between youth and business institutions;
• Infuse a gender perspective and rights-based approach to policies and programs for youth;
• Cultivate in the youth the spirit of accountability, transparency and integrity (ATI).

Only young people of between 15 and 35 who are of nationality of any African State will qualify to apply.

Cost: R2 430 per delegate.

For sponsorships, exhibitions and applications, write to: info@oayouth.org.

Enquiries: Tel: +27 73 445 4355.

For more about The Organisation of African Youth, refer to www.oayouth.org.

The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) is expected to make a presentation at the National AIDS Council (NAC) on findings of an assessment of access to health services by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered community as well as a study on men who have sex with men (MSM) in May this year.

BONELA says this decision was made by former president Festus Mogae, at the NAC last week, following a query by BONELA as the presentation initially scheduled for May last year, was cancelled at the last minute, without consultation.

BONELA director, Uyapo Ndadi, points out that, "As an organisation, we are excited that our leaders are now more progressive and open towards issues of sexual minorities which is reflective of sound democratic principles.”

To read the article titled, “BONELA to present findings of access to health by 'gays',” click here.