Star Awards (PTY) LTD Gaborone, Botswana 14 October 2014 News Release Unemployment is perceived to be the most critical problem for Batswana Overall, unemployment is identified by 58% of citizens as one of the most important problems affecting Batswana. This was the most frequently stated problem by a significant margin. Since the 2003 Afrobarometer survey, Batswana continue to point to unemployment as the most critical problem (See fig 1) The data is being released during a time when the government is rigorously implementing poverty eradication programmes such as Ipelegeng, Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID), Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development (ISPAAD) and backyard gardening, etc. in an effort to create employment and eradicate poverty. Key Findings  In 2003, 62% of Batswana listed unemployment as one of the three most important problems they faced. This figure rose to almost two-in-three (66%) in 2005. For the period between 2008 (the peak of economic recession) and 2012, the figures declined to 64% and 57% respectively. A slight rise to 58% was recorded in the 2014 survey (See fig 1).  There is a strong association between unemployment and location in that, whereas in 2014, unemployment is identified more by urban dwellers (65%), significantly less semiurban dwellers (58%) and rural dwellers (53%) identified (See fig 2) .  The second most frequently identified problem is poverty and destitution mentioned by 29% of the respondents. The highest proportion of respondents (35%) who identified poverty and destitution as a problem are rural dwellers while only 20% of urban dwellers identified this as a problem.  The proportion of respondents identifying wages, income and salaries has grown over the years. The years between 2003 and 2014 have seen the proportion of those identifying this problem as one of the three important problems doubling from 7% to 14%. It is the economically active age groups (18-49 years) that feel the burden of low wages, income and salaries, with between 15% and 19% of them identifying this as an important problem. 1 Charts Figure 1: The top three most important problems Botswana| 2003-2014 100 90 80 Percentage 70 60 62 66 64 57 58 Unemployment 50 40 Poverty/Destitution 37 40 35 Wages, incomes and salaries 37 30 29 20 10 7 7 2003 2005 11 12 14 0 2008 2012 2014 Participants were asked: “In your opinion what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? 2 Figure 2: The top three most important problems by location Botswana|2014 70 65 60 58 53 Percentage 50 Unemployment 40 35 30 20 28 Poverty/Destitution Wages, incomes and salaries 22 20 14 10 10 0 Urban Semi-Urban Rural Participants were asked: “In your opinion what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? 3 Percentage Figure 3: The top three most important problems by age Botswana|2014 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 64 62 Unemployment 50 27 15 18-29 35 28 19 34 20 9 30-49 50-64 11 Poverty/Destitution Wages, incomes and salaries 65+ Age Participants were asked: “In your opinion what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? 4 Afrobarometer Afrobarometer is an African-led, non-partisan research project that has measured countries’ social, political, and economic atmosphere since 1999. In its sixth survey round (2014-15), it is covering 35 countries. In Botswana, the face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults were done by Star Awards (Pty) Ltd. Afrobarometer is funded by the UK Department of International Development (DfID), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and World Bank. The Afrobarometer Round 6 public opinion survey interviewed 1,200 Batswana in June 2014. The nationally representative sample yields a +/- 3% margin of error with a 95% confidence level. For more information, please contact: Prof. Mogopodi Lekorwe or Dr Lucky Mokgatlhe Star Awards (Pty) Ltd at 355 2741: 7131 2942/355 2694: 7255 4903 Email: [email protected]/ [email protected] Please visit our website at www.afrobarometer.org Follow us on Twitter at @Afrobarometer. 5