Botswana Calls To Legalize Gay Lifestyle: Hopes to Reduce HIV
Ex-President Festus Mogae has made a call to action to help reduce and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Botwsana. He suggests legalization and decriminalization of homosexuality and prostitution as well as distribution of condoms in prisons. This is a sore and controversial subject amongst conservatives in Botswana as homosexuality and prostitution are severely frowned upon.
“I don’t think by arresting them you help them”
Mogae, winner of the “Mo Obrahim prize for Good Governance”, also heads the government-backed Aids Council of Botswana. He says that it’s difficult to promote safe sex to people at high-risk when the two practices are illegal. Gays make up a minute percentage of the population and should not be regarded as criminals. “I don’t understand it [homosexuality]. I am a heterosexual,” he told the BBC’s Network Africa programme.”I look at women. I don’t look at other men. But there are men who look at other men. These are citizens.” On the issue of prostitution he added “To protect them and their clients from being infected, you have to assist them to protect themselves. I don’t think by arresting them you help them.”
The BBC reported that a Botswana government spokesperson said that both prostitution and homosexuality will remain illegal until the government consults experts and decides that the law should change.
Meanwhile, the number of people with HIV/AIDS keeps rising. Botswana holds one the highest rates for the disease in the world at a startling 17% of its population testing HIV positive.
Mr. Mogae stepped down as president in 2008 at the end of his two terms in office, the same year he won the Mo Ibrahim prize. “During his rule, Botswana became the first sub-Saharan African country where anti-retroviral drugs were widely available for free.” wrote BBC news.
