Protecting children is not the responsibility of parents alone. It belongs to every one of us. That is the message at the heart of this year’s Mascom Batanani Walk, which returns on Saturday 8 August 2026, under the theme “Step Up for Child Safety”, rallying Batswana around one of the country’s most urgent social priorities.
While the annual walk has become one of Botswana’s best-known community initiatives over the past eight years, this year’s campaign shines a spotlight on the growing need to create safer environments where every child can live, learn and thrive.
The urgency is clear. According to Botswana’s Violence Against Children Survey (VACS), one in four girls aged 13 to 17 who have ever had sexual intercourse experienced unwanted sex during their sexual debut, while nearly one in twenty boys reported the same experience. These sobering figures reinforce the need for greater awareness, stronger protection systems and collective action.
This year’s Batanani Walk will support the development of a child-friendly centers, delivered in partnership with the Botswana Police Service and UNICEF Botswana. The centres – including but not limited to those in Francistown, Boteti and Shakawe – will provide a safe, welcoming and child-centred environment where young victims and witnesses of abuse can report cases with dignity while receiving appropriate support, with the long-term vision of expanding similar facilities across Botswana.
For Mascom Chief Executive Officer, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni, the campaign reflects a commitment that extends far beyond a single annual event. In addition to heading Botswana’s leading telecommunications company, she serves as Co-Chair of UNICEF Botswana’s Private Sector Forum for Child Rights (formerly the CEO’s Council for Children’s Rights), championing greater private sector leadership in advancing children’s rights nationally. “Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, protected and able to realise their full potential. Child safety cannot be left to one institution or one organisation. It requires families, communities, business and government to work together. That is exactly what Batanani represents. Every registration, every conversation and every step taken on 8 August is a visible commitment to building a Botswana where children are safer.”
Since its launch in 2019, the Mascom Batanani Walk has tackled some of Botswana’s most pressing social issues, from gender-based violence and children’s rights to mental health, disability inclusion, substance abuse, digital safety and breast cancer awareness, demonstrating the power of collective action to drive lasting social impact. Members of the public are encouraged to register individually or as families, schools, workplaces and community groups, because protecting Botswana’s future begins with protecting its children.