Thursday 20 July 2 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. (Canada/Eastern)
Abstract
Botswana is usually regarded as a model for economic development in Africa. But, like other developing countries, it is faced with the challenges of elevating the wellbeing of its population and rising unemployment. Scavenging which in itself is the act of searching through and retrieving discarded items for recycling became the new means of livelihoods in tackling unemployment in the country. The significant role of women in scavenging and waste management was identified with serious challenges such as proneness to all kinds of pollutants and spreading of dangerous pathogens and lack of public-private partnerships in waste management. To overcome these; the medical health needs of the scavengers and waste managers should be considered with uttermost importance, most specifically to women. Hence, policies and incentive structures should be instituted to encourage and compensate women in waste management. Also, more advocacies to be put in place to educate the entire citizenry on positive waste management that leads to wealth creation.
