- challenges include unemployment and limited access to skills & resources
Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Lesego Chombo has emphasised government’s commitment to addressing challenges faced by the youth, including unemployment and limited access to skills and resources through a multi-sectoral approach.
Presenting the 2025/2026 budget proposals for her ministry to the Committee of Supply recently, Chombo citing data from the 2022 Population and Housing Census, noted that 34.9% of the population are youth aged 15 to 35 years out of which 41.3% fall under the NEET category (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), with youth unemployment standing at 38.4%.
The minister emphasised government’s commitment to addressing these issues highlighting key initiatives including Youth Development Fund (YDF) which was allocated P200 million in 2024/25. The fund has so far approved 1,051 youth businesses, with P101.8 million disbursed.
Chombo added, “Botswana National Service Programme (BNSP) is currently engaging 9,158 youth, providing community development opportunities and experiential learning. Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) is also supporting Youth Serving Organisations with funding for skill enhancement programs, although budgetary constraints limit their reach.”
Chombo has since appealed for the creation of new posts and additional resources for the ministry to effectively deliver on its mandate. She reiterated the need for a collaborative approach to address youth unemployment and promote gender equality, ensuring inclusive development for all.
On gender development, Chombo highlighted Botswana’s progress in promoting equality. The country ranks 57th globally and 11th in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024. It has excelled in educational attainment and health survival metrics.
The minister underscored 2025 as a pivotal year for gender equality, marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and 10 years since the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted. At the 69th Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Botswana reported significant strides, including its pioneering efforts in combating HIV.
The 2025/2026 budget proposals which outlined the ministry’s achievements, challenges, and financial priorities marked the first one since the ministry’s restructuring, which now focuses solely on youth development and gender equality.
Chombo reported that the former Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture was initially allocated P1.2 billion for both recurrent and development budgets. However, due to budget revisions during the financial year, the allocation was reduced to P1.047 billion. The recurrent budget stood at P1.006 billion after the adjustment, while the development budget was reduced significantly from P147 million to P40 million due to delays in project implementation caused by capacity constraints.
As of March 21, 2025, 89% of the recurrent budget had been utilised, amounting to P897.6 million. However, the development budget’s expenditure stood at only 19%, primarily due to delayed project starts.
