DITSHWANELO
DITSHWANELO the Botswana Centre for Human Rights "is a locally based advocacy organisation, which was founded in 1993 and which plays a key role in the protection and promotion of human rights in Botswana society. The organisation seeks to educate, research, counsel and mediate on human rights issues, with particular reference to people who are marginalised and disempowered." [1]
Listed in Freedom House's links. [2]
Funding
Intial funding to launch the project came from the Danish Center for Human Rights (DANIDA), which continued to support them until 1996. (p.34) Funders in 2004 include:
- African Women's Development Fund
- Amnesty International
- AUSAID
- British Council
- Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
- Interights
- Open Society Initiative
- Rowan Trust
- SIDA
International Awards for Human Rights Achievements
"DITSHWANELO - the Botswana Centre for Human Rights is delighted to have received a number of international awards for our Human Rights work, recognizing the work of the organization as a whole and the enormous contribution of our Director, Alice Mogwe. A professional lawyer, Ms Mogwe founded DITSHWANELO in 1993, raising the profile of minority groups and human rights issues, giving a voice and some security to persons and groups who could otherwise become victims of circumstance. For fifteen years Ms Mogwe has worked tirelessly to improve human rights in Botswana and across the southern African region.
"Ms Mogwe has just been awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite from The Government of the Republic of France, which was presented to her in December 2005 by the French Ambassador to Botswana, M. Pierre Coulont.
"In March 2005 Ms Mogwe was presented with a US State Department award in recognition of her contribution as a Vanguard Women’s Leader of Botswana, by Ambassador Joseph Huggins of the United States of America. The Award commemorates her work as one of the first Motswana activists in the field of gender, a founding member of Women and Law in Southern Africa and a pioneer of Botswana’s human rights movement.
"In May 2000 the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, based in the USA, honoured DITSHWANELO with the Felipa De Souza Award.
"DITSHWANELO received its first Award in 1997: the Mellemfolkelight Samvirke Award (Danish Volunteer Service – MS)." [3]
