Botswana is a democratic republic where power is shared between the President and an elected National Assembly. Periodic elections, deemed free and fair and held on the basis of universal suffrage, have seen the Botswana Democratic Party gain a majority of seats in the National Assembly since independence. Citizens who are not part of the 8 ethnic groups that make up the majority Tswana nation are marginalised in the political process.

Reports cite large, anonymous campaign contributions to the ruling party by international diamond interests; this has resulted in calls for greater transparency in political party funding.

The House of Chiefs, an advisory body with limited powers, consists of the 8 ethnic groups of the Tswana and 4 elected chiefs representing smaller ethnic groups. Some groups such as the San, Ovaherero or Bayei are not represented. There are 7 women in the 61-seat National Assembly and 5 in the 19-seat Cabinet. For the first time in the country's history a woman has been elected chairperson of the House of Chiefs. 17 members of minority ethnic groups hold seats in the National Assembly, and 8 are in Cabinet.

The judiciary is independent, and the legal system consists of a civil as well as a traditional court system. Decisions reached in the traditional courts vary. Corporal punishment, in the form of lashings, is meted out to young offenders in villages; the government insists that corporal punishment applies to all, including foreigners. Illegal Zimbabwean immigrants have been subjected to torture and killings. Some members of the police are accused of mistreating suspects to coerce confessions. Corruption is not reported as being common, and impunity is not a problem.

Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, nationality, creed, sex or social status is illegal. Rural poverty is a serious problem and widely skews the income distribution. The Gross Domestic Product grew by 6.7%, with diamond exports accounting for some 75% of export income and 50% of government revenue. Botswana has one of the highest incidences of HIV/AIDS in the world, and this has put great strain on government finances.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed, but limits are placed on freedom of the press. News sources deemed undesirable are censored. The small but vigorous independent press has a tradition of candid comment. Radio is the most important medium of public communication.

Ethnic San (Basarwa) live in remote locations where access to education and other public services is difficult. Forced resettlement of the San from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve has continued into 2006. Government officials maintain that the programme reduces the cost of public services and minimises human impact on wildlife. However, Survival International states that diamond exploration is the reason.

Trafficking in persons is not prohibited, but a national plan to address the issue has been developed. Reports are common that poor rural children are taken from their homes under false pretences and forced to work as maids or cattle herders.

Other reports state that some children orphaned by HIV/AIDS have become prostitutes in urban areas. UNAIDS estimates that 37.4% of persons aged 15 to 49 are infected with HIV/AIDS. Social discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS still exists but is not as pervasive. Some employers have fired HIV-positive employees. The Botswana Building Society has announced that it would no longer require HIV testing as a condition of employment. Community organisations run programmes to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS. The education system has been very hard hit by HIV/AIDS.

Education International, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the education unions in Botswana, has conducted programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention through education for a number of years. Teachers are trained to teach students and colleagues in HIV prevention. In view of the belief held by some persons in southern Africa that intercourse with a virgin is a cure for HIV/AIDS, sexual relations between older men and girls are increasingly common and receive extensive media attention. Education International's training programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention address all of these issues. Homosexuality is illegal.

The largest portion of the operating expenditure goes to the Ministry of Education and the second largest portion to the Ministry of Local Government responsible for distributing books, food and materials for primary education. In spite of this allocation, the government has reneged on its commitment to provide free primary, secondary and technical education to all its children. School fees or "donations" are charged. Provision of primary education has been expanded from 7 to 10 years, but attendance is not compulsory. Some 88% of children attend primary school, and 30% complete secondary school. Attendance rates for girls and boys are similar. School completion rates are highest in urban areas and lowest in areas inhabited by the San. The literacy rate is 81% (82% among females).

Approximately 112,000 orphans due to deaths from HIV/AIDS are reported. Registered orphans may receive food baskets and school uniforms. Many orphans have become beggars in urban areas, and at times relatives deny them inheritance rights.

Sexual abuse of students by teachers is reported. Statistics are not available to give a breakdown as is provided in other country reports.

A 3-year programme of ECE begins at age 3.

Primary school begins at age 6 and continues for 7 years. 5% of education at this level is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 82% (49% female). Of students who enrol in Grade 1, 85% reach the final grade of primary school. 5% of students repeat grades. 12,717 teachers (79% female) work at the primary level, and 90% of primary teachers are trained. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 26 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 13 and is completed in 5 years. In upper secondary education, 21% of students study in technical vocational programmes. The NER is 61%. Only 1% of students repeat grades. Secondary teachers number about 11,800 in total, with 6,800 in lower secondary (47% female) and 5,000 in upper secondary schools (46% female). At the secondary level, 93% of teachers are trained. The PTR is 17 : 1 in lower secondary and 11 : 1 in upper secondary school.

13,221 students (46% female) study in tertiary institutions. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is 6%. All education at this level is private. 9,741 students from Botswana study abroad, mainly in South Africa (7,012), Australia (188), the USA (168), Morocco (155) and Canada (132).

Discrimination against persons with disabilities is reported in education and employment. A national policy provides for integration of persons with disabilities into all aspects of government policymaking, but this has not been put into practice.

The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees in cooperation with the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR opposed the detention of asylum seekers in Centres. Approximately 4,800 illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe are repatriated each month. There are more than 3,000 refugees at Dukwe Refugee Centre, primarily from Namibia, Angola and Somalia. Refugees are permitted to reside outside the Dukwe Centre with a permit. An estimated 500 refugees, including a number of students, live elsewhere in the country.

The San people mainly inhabit the Kalahari Desert and are the earliest known inhabitants of the country. They are linguistically and culturally distinct from the rest of the population but are not a homogenous group. They are economically and politically marginalised and have lost access to their traditional land in fertile regions of the country. They are vulnerable to exploitation. A substantial number of the San live in government-created Remote Area Dweller settlements and subsist on social welfare benefits. Little education is available to San children.

The government does not restrict academic freedom or Internet usage.

Traditional laws restrict property rights and economic opportunities for women. A woman married under traditional law is a minor and requires her husband's consent to buy or sell property, apply for credit and enter into contracts. Discrimination against women is most acute in rural areas, where women in subsistence agriculture have few rights.

Polygyny is legal under traditional law with the consent of the first wife but is rarely practised. The Abolition of Marital Powers Act has established equality of control over joint estates and equal guardianship of parents over minor children. The marriage age for men and women is 18. Well-trained urban women have more access to white-collar jobs, but the opportunities decrease sharply in senior management. Domestic violence is not illegal and is a serious problem. Men have the right to chastise their wives.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are increasingly reported, but police rarely intervene. Steps have been taken to increase privacy at police stations to encourage victims of domestic abuse to report such incidents. Sexual exploitation and harassment continue to be problems with men in positions of authority, including teachers, supervisors and older male relatives, who pressure women and girls to have sex.

Child labour is addressed in the Children's Act, but it occurs. An immediate family member may employ a child aged 13 or younger. No juvenile under age 14 may be employed in any industry without permission from the Labour Commission. Only persons over age 16 may perform night work or hazardous labour, including mining. Child labour is limited to young children in remote areas who work as cattle herders or domestic servants.

HIV/AIDS has resulted in numerous orphans forced to leave school to care for sick relatives and for siblings. They are vulnerable to exploitation.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, and the government has now extended the right to civil servants. The wage economy is small, and unions are concentrated in mining, railway, banking and the public sector. Restrictions exist on the right to strike. Legal strikes are possible after an exhaustive arbitration process. Sympathy strikes are prohibited. Collective bargaining is permitted for unions representing 25% of a labour force; only mine and diamond unions engage in collective bargaining.

The Cabinet determines wage policy for the civil service. Labour law applies in export-processing zones. Forced and compulsory labour are not prohibited, but no reports indicate that such practices take place.

The minimum hourly wage in the private sector is US$0.64 (2.9 pula), which does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Formal sector jobs pay well above minimum wage levels. Informal sector employment frequently pays below the minimum wage. There is no mandatory minimum wage for domestic workers. A maximum 48-hour work week is the norm. Illegal immigrants, primarily Zambians and Zimbabweans, are exploited since they are subject to deportation if they file grievances.