In 2018, government increased the legal age for sexual consent from 16 to 18.
It means anyone who sleeps with a person under the age of 18 is breaking the law and can be charged with defilement.
The idea was to protect children from all forms of sexual abuse.
However, cases of child marriage still exist in Botswana, with those involved rarely, if ever, prosecuted.
According to the Executive Director of Women Against Rape (WAR), a non-governmental organisation based in Maun, Peggy Ramaphane, many children are trapped in early marriages, especially in the North West District.
Ramaphane believes perpetrators are ‘hiding behind culture’ to sleep with underage girls who are forced into marriage at a young age.
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STAYING PUT: Mmolotsi and Hikuama
Members of Parliament for Francistown South and Ngami constituencies, Wynter Mmolotsi and Carter Hikuama have distanced themselves from allegations that they were the ones expected to defect to Botswana Democratic Party by the end of today.
Following a massive recruitment by the ruling party which saw two MPs and three Councillors defecting from opposition parties to the ruling party, there have been allegations that three more MPs were on their way.
The three MPs said to have been on the BDP recruitment radar include, Mmolotsi, Hikuama and Kenny Kapinga of Okavango. “You should also not rule out the MP for Palapye, Onneetse Ramogapi to jump wagon too,” an inside source intimated adding that they were capitalising on divisions within the Umbrella for Democratic Change leadership.