#Mission

Who We Are

Professor Rodreck Mupedziswa

Coordinator: Centre for Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Empowerment

The Centre for Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Empowerment (CGBVPE) is an exciting new noble initiative by BA ISAGO University whose Offices are situated at the Institution’s Gaborone Campus. This unique Centre is the brainchild of Mr Odirile B. Gabasiane, the Institution’s Founder and Managing Director. Broadly stated, the Centre seeks to create critical awareness of the magnitude of the GBV problem as well as the risks, causes and prevention strategies in place against GBV. The Centre also seeks to promote responses that include mitigation strategies and support systems targeting survivors of the insidious cancer of Gender-Based Violence. Additionally, apart from creating a conducive environment for sharing experiences on the impact of Gender-Based Violence on Society, the Centre further seeks to provide a platform for intellectual exchange among Practitioners, Academics, Policy Makers among others, through hosting International Conferences, Workshops and Symposia. The GBV Centre’s mandate can be said to be three pronged: offering Education and Training Programmes (focusing essentially on Gender-Based Violence), conducting Research (with particular focus on GBV and related issues) and engaging in Community Outreach and Advocacy work (with emphasis on promoting awareness and sensitisation of Communities, Workplaces, Schools, etc). On the Education and Training front, the Centre seeks to offer both Credit and Non-Credit Programmes. To date, two Programmes, the Master of Arts in Gender Based Violence and a Short Course on Understanding Gender-Based Violence have been approved by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) and Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) respectively and are now available for enrolment.

Transformation is currently awaiting BQA final approval. These Programmes are designed such that they stimulate critical thinking and analysis to facilitate meaningful GBV interventions. The Centre’s cutting-edge Research efforts seek to respond to the growing need for Policy-relevant Research and to facilitate evidence-based GBV interventions. Currently two Research Projects are ongoing, one on Tertiary Students Perceptions of GBV and another (a collaborative effort with BGBVC) on GBV Risk factors with particular focus on Botswana. Regarding Community Outreach and Advocacy work, the GBV Centre collaborates in the GBV space with various Stakeholders including Government Departments, Quasi-Government Institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Faith-based Organisations (FBOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) . Activities (which at times have involved BA ISAGO University Students) include participating in marches against GBV, candle-light vigils, participating in Workshops, In discussion Fora and Debates and related Events. An International GBV Conference to be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs is on the cards for 2026. The Centre together with the two GBV Programmes that are now available for enrolment were officially launched by the Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs during a visit to BA ISAGO University on 1st September 2025. The Centre’s desire is to effectively and efficiently complement Government efforts in fighting the GBV scourge in Botswana and beyond.