Lesego Chombo, Miss World Botswana, Miss World Africa 2024 and a Top 4 finalist at the 71st Miss World Festival, continues to make a meaningful impact in her country through her role as Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs.

Recently, Chombo participated in the Opening Bell Ceremony at the Botswana Stock Exchange, part of the global “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” initiative, which highlights the importance of advancing women’s leadership and economic participation.

Describing the moment as symbolic yet powerful, Chombo emphasized that gender equality must be reflected not only in words but in leadership, workplaces, and national budgets, through policies such as gender-responsive budgeting.

During the occasion, the Minister reaffirmed Botswana’s commitment to strengthening gender equality through several initiatives led by the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs. These include expanding women’s economic participation by supporting female entrepreneurs through the EntreprenHER program, developed in partnership with UN Women, the De Beers Group, and Stanbic Bank. The government is also working with the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship to revive the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, while promoting greater inclusion of women in leadership and decision-making roles.

Earlier, during International Women’s Day activities in Moshana Village, Chombo highlighted additional reforms aimed at improving access to justice and protection for women. Botswana currently ranks 51st out of 142 countries in the 2023 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, and 4th in Sub-Saharan Africa, showing significant progress.

Among the reforms she emphasized were strengthening community justice systems, including customary courts that handle around 80% of disputes, expanding ICT-enabled access to justice, and advancing legislation addressing gender-based violence, which began development in August 2025 to close legal and systemic gaps.

Chombo concluded by reinforcing that while International Women’s Day is a celebration, it is also a commitment: ensuring that equality is financed, implemented, and protected so that meaningful progress is achieved for women and girls across Botswana.

Lesego is Beauty With a Purpose in constant motion!