THE FAMILY

DEFINITION OF TERMS

FAMILY: A group of people related by blood, marriage, adoption and assimilation.

SOCIALIZATION: It is a process whereby people learn customs, values and norms of their
society.

NEED FOR SOCIALIZATION AT FAMILY LEVEL

1. It teaches norms and values of the society thus helping us to perfectly fit in the society.
Norms are accepted standards of behavior and values are principles that guide people to
know what is right and wrong.
2. Instils cultural pride or belonginess-so that we can easily identify ourselves with it.
3. Builds responsible citizens who would drive the country’s vision positively.
4. Teaches survival skills e.g. cooking, hunting and gathering which they can use to earn a
living. Through socialization children can be taught practical skills. These skills may be
used to earn a living from childhood to old age.
5. Prepares children for adulthood e.g. prepares women on how to take care of their
husbands and children and vice-versa.
6. Promotes acceptance and tolerance amongst people. Through socialization people can
learn to live harmoniously with other people from other cultures. This promotes peaceful
co-existence.
7. Through punishments and rewards socialization cultivate moral behavior among people.
Moral behavior will ensure that people respect law and authority. Traditionally wrong-
doers were punished at the Kgotla as a way of discouraging bad behavior and practices.
8. Promotes family ties and relationships: A well socialized child is able to know and
respect elderly people within and outside the family. The child will respect all of their
relatives and this will strengthen blood bonds between relatives.

DIVISION OF LABPUR IN A TRADITIONAL FAMILY SET-UP

GENDER

MALES

 Heads of the family

 Look after livestock
 Provide for the family
 Discipline the children
 Fence kraals
 Plough/Hunt
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  Provide shelter for the family

FEMALES

 Look after the home and children

 Cleaning
 Scare away birds at the field
 Help discipline children

AGE

ELDERS

 Resolve conflicts
 Prepare for ceremonies
 Socialize young children
 Discipline young children
 Hunt and gather
 Attend kgotla meetings
 Provide security for children

CHILDREN

 Assist in looking for animals especially boys

 Take care of younger siblings
 Hunt small animals
 Help in doing household chores e.g cleaning and washing

DIVISION OF LABOUR IN A MODERN SOCIETY

TECHNOLOGY: It enables people to neither perform any duty regardless of either age nor
gender e.g. Most modern equipment do not require any masculine power to operate it makes it
easier for everyone to do any job of their choice.

HUMAN RIGHTS/ WOMEN EMPOWERMENT/ WILLINGNESS TO DO A

PARTICULAR JOB: Emphasize equal division of power for both women and men e.g. change
the BDF Act to allow women soldiers, the Marriage Act also allows women to take part in
decision making in their homes.

EDUCATION/QUALIFICATION/ PROFFESSIONAL DEMAND: With the skills acquired

in education everyone can perform any task or jobs that they have skills in or have been trained
for e.g. In schools both boys and girls are trained in the same courses which equip both genders
with the skills.

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GLOBILIZATION: In many societies women are becoming leaders due to the influence from
other countries, e.g. Women are now given positions of responsibility such as presidents, and
chiefs due to the influence they get from the western countries which have long embraced gender
equality.

AGE AND EXPERIENCE: Some tasks are exclusively for the elders e.g. marriage negotiations
are still handled by handled who have accumulated great wealth of experience on norms and
values of the society.

NATURE OF THE ECONOMY: In a modern society the people are given jobs by the way in
which the economy makes money.

ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN ADDRESSING ISSUES

A. GENDER IMBALANCE
 The family encourages fair sharing of responsibilities and duties e.g household
chores are no longer allocated according to gender.
 Children are given equal treatment by parents regardless of their gender e.g. both
boys and girls are sent to schools.
 Women can also be heads of households and make important decisions in the
family.
 Involvement of all family members in decision making especially the elderly
family members. Decisions should be taken after consultation with other family
members and there should be tolerance of other family members’ opinions.
 Education of family members on the importance of gender equality. Children
should be taught about equality from a tender age and they should be given the
same roles regardless of age.
 Seeking help from professional counsellors when the family experiences gender
related issues.

B. SEX EDUCATION AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY

 In modern days, families talk openly about sex issues e.g. they educate children
about the effects of early sex and teenage pregnancy.
 Family members offer guidance to children if they realize that maybe they are
involved in sexual activities or even before then so as to prepare them.
 Family members offer counselling to children e.g. if someone finds themselves in
a broken relationship or gets pregnant while in their teens.
 It encourages abstinence and the use of contraceptives to avoid the issue of sex
and teenage pregnancy.
 They may also refer children to other people who can address their issues better if
they are unable to help them.

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  Takes children to the clinic for family planning methods if they are already
engaged in sexual activities.
 Formulation of strict rules and regulations in the family in order to control and
monitor behavior e.g. young children should be discouraged from being away
from home for too long especially at night.

C. HIV AND AIDS

 Education: Making other family members aware of the effects of HIV and AIDS
as well as make a difference between myths, rumors and facts about the disease.
 Encouraging members to test for the disease so that they know their status. This
will benefit those who are HIV positive as they can enroll for treatment early and
pregnant women will enroll for PMTCT.
 Provides care to family members who are sick by bathing, feeding and making
sure that they take the prescribed medicine accordingly.
 Provides moral, emotional and material support.
 Encourages members to stick to one partner or abstain from sexual activities until
marriage. Families should encourage marriage so that as to promote faithfulness.
Family members also encourage people to use condoms to stop the spread of the
disease.
 Abstinence is also encouraged that is totally refraining totally away from sexual
activities.
 Participation of families in HIV/AIDS related issues in the country (community or
nation) e.g. home based care
 Destigmatisation: Removing all forms of discrimination of infected people. These
days families accept these people unlike in the past.

WAYS IN WHICH HIV AND AIDS AFFECTS FAMILY SYSTEMS IN BOTSWANA

1. Street children: These children bond and become a family.

2. Increase in the number of orphans: When parents die older siblings assume parental roles.
3. Family headed by grandparents or relatives- most families where biological parents have
passed away are headed by grandparents.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF INTER MARRIAGES IN BOTSWANA AND INTERNATIONALLY

INTERMARRIAGES: Refers to when people marry across ethnic groups and nationalities e.g.
Mokgalagadi and Mongwaketse or Motswana and Chinese.

ADVANTAGES OF INTER-MARRIAGES

1. CULTURAL EXCHANGE: When one marries a person from a different culture, one
tends to learn the aspects of another culture such as skills and ideas of doing things.
People inter-marrying can learn each other’s and broaden their cultural knowledge e.g.
language and food.

2. IMPROVEMENT IN GENE-POOL/ BIOLOGICAL BENEFITS: Children of inter-

marriage couples may inherit genes that improve their body defense against diseases.

3. UNITY AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: Improves relationships between ethnic

groups due to marital bond between people hence peace and harmony.

4. PROMOTES CULTURAL TOLERANCE OF OTHER GROUPS: Inter-marriages

can make people respect and appreciate other people’s culture, hence encouraging
reduction in racial differences (discrimination).

5. LOSS OF CULTURE: Some people will lose some aspects of their culture. One of the
partners especially women have to abandon some of their cultural practices and be
assimilated to her husband’s culture. Some most African societies are patriarchal in
nature.

6. ENCOURAGES TRIBALISM: Sometimes people will be discriminated because of the

tribe they come from. Some family members may look down upon one of the couples’
ethnic group especially if they come from a minority group. This may also contribute to
divorce if the partner can no longer tolerate any form of abuse.

7. ADOPTION OF WEAKER GENES: The choice of genes to inherit is beyond human

control and as such it is possible that off-springs of inter-married couples may adopt
genes of negative characteristics such as dwarfism, albinism and weak genes that cannot
fight against common diseases.

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EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF CHANGING FAMILY SYSTEMS IN BOTSWANA

1. CHANGE FROM EXTENDED TO NUCLEAR FAMILIES

NEGATIVE
a. This reduces family ties in that these days people only associate with their immediate
family members.
b. Extended family members no longer care for each other and this result in street
children, destitutes and delinquents.

POSITIVE
a. Nuclear families are easily manageable since there is a small number to deal with.
b. Leads to reduced conflicts.
c. Living expenses become cheaper in an extended family.

2. SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

Death of spouses or decision not to marry or lack of marriage give rise to single parent
families and this compromises socialization at family level. Socialization is best when
done by two people.

3. DECISION NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN

Lack of children results in lack of care during old age.

4. DIVORCE

NEGATIVE
Divorce may lead to one of the parents failing to do his/her responsibilities and this may
put emotional and financial stress on the children and the available children.

POSITIVE
It may help children to grow where there is no violence especially if the parents were
always fighting.

5. ORPHANAGE
a. Families headed by children due to loss of parents and this leave children to fend for
themselves.
b. This may result in them be taken to orphanage homes and some become street
children.

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6. COHABITATION- When two partners stay partners stay together without marriage

NEGATIVE

a. Brings conflict especially when partners separate and have property to share.
b. Creates a feeling of anxiety and this result in passion killings.
c. May bring legal battle due to breach of promise of inheritance.

POSITIVE

a. May bring financial advantages due to sharing of costs.

b. Helps in the socialization of children by both parents.

7. GENDER EQUALITY
POSITIVE
This has helped to bring equality between men and women in the running of the
family e.g. family roles/duties are gender neutral.

NEGATIVE

May create misunderstanding or conflicts between men and women.

8. STREET KIDS
Death of parents, negligence and abuse may lead to juvenile delinquency and children
fending for themselves on the streets.

9. DESTITUTES
Family break ups may lead to destitute and as a result the government has to take care of
these people.

10. OLD AGE HOMES

Extended family members no longer care for each other and old people are left alone and
this may result in them being taken to old age homes e.g. the Handa old age home in
Broadhurst in Gaborone.

11. HOMO-SEXUALITY (LESBIAN/ GAY RELATIONSHIPS)

Nowadays people choose to have same sex relationships and this may lead to lack of
children.

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FACTORS AFFECTING AFFECTING/THREATENING FAMILY TIES IN
BOTSWANA AND OUTSIDE

1) DIVORCE: Due to adultery and financial problems. Divorce is now common than in the
olden days and it has emotional stress on the couple and also on children. Divorce also
means that children should adapt a new lifestyle of living with one parent.
2) HIV AND AIDS: Leads to loss of important family members such as parents and bread-
winners resulting in the breakdown of families due to lack of parental guidance and
poverty. The stigma and discrimination attached to HIV/AIDS often makes victims to
commit suicide or abandon their families. HIV can also leads to quarrels when one
partner feels they have been infected by the other partner. If one partner is positive, the
other partner may decide to end the marriage.
3) GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: Child and spouse abuse may result in children
becoming delinquent. Violence refers to physical and verbal confrontations between
family members. Commonly it is the husband who abuses the wife. Spouse abuse may e
caused by quarrels over mis-use of money, negligence of responsibility, alcohol and drug
abuse and lack of marriage counselling centres. Frequent abuse may force one of the
spouses to abandon the family to join biological relatives or establish a single parent
family. Children can also be used by elderly people to satisfy their sexual desires.
Frequently abused children may abandon their families to become street children. Abused
children may also experience some psychological problems.
4) WARS: Results in death of important family members. Other family members leave
their family members to run away from the war and they may never re-unite again.
5) NATURAL DISASTERS: Such as floods and earthquakes kill millions of people such
as the Tsunami in Indonesia. Other family members try to escape the disaster by moving
to other.
6) RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE: Religious intolerance between the Muslims and
Christians can also lead to problems/members of families being killed. One marital
partner may want activities done according to their religious activities while the others
have different ambitions. Such a situation can lead to fights and if it happens repeatedly it
can lead to separation of couples.
7) POVERTY: Many families in the world are poor and this may result in resorting to
prostitution and crime which threatens their lives. Poverty can also lead to family break-
ups as some members go to look for employment and they may end up forgetting those
they leave behind.
8) INHERITANCE DISPUTES: After the death of a family member some people would
fight over his/her property e.g. which threaten their live.
9) PASSION KILLINGS: This refers to intentional killing of one partner by the other in
intimate relationships. Often the perpetrator ends up committing suicide. This robs the
family of important family members such as parents and breadwinners resulting in
poverty and other forms of instability.

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 10) TEENAGE PREGNANCY: As mentioned earlier in the chapter this refers to
conception among young people usually below the age of 20. Teenage pregnancy has
negative impacts on both the teenager and the family. On the teenage mother it leads to
school drop-outs and loss of self-esteem. On the family it results on more pressure in the
family budget as there will be more mouths to feed.

ROLES OF STAKEHOLDERS IN PROMOTING FAMILY LIFE

1) GOVERNMENT/STATE
 Establishment of various courts of law e.g. Customary courts to address
divorce disputes, property etc.
 Policy formulation: for example the policy which gives married couples a
chance to work in the same geographical area to prevent family break-ups.
 Supplementary feeding given to the orphans and destitutes to prevent them from
roaming in the streets.
 Education and awareness campaigns: Family education in schools, clinics,
guidance and counselling centres and the media. The government conducts
workshops and seminars to address family planning issues.
 Provision of contraceptives and family planning services: The government
encourages people to have smaller families so that members can be easily and
cost-effectively provided for with basic needs. To achieve this, the government
provides free contraceptives in order for people to prevent pregnancies.
 Women empowerment: The right of women has been improved through
amendments of the constitution to address gender inequality, e.g. the Citizenship
Act and Marital Power Act was amended to allow women to take part in major
decisions at family level.
 Protection of the marriage institution: Government encourages people to marry
through the District Commissioner’s offices. Marriage counselling is also
provided for troubled family relationships through social workers. The state also
criminalizes adultery, extra-marital affairs and sodomy.

2) RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS
 Churches and other religious organisations often discuss family problems such as
domestic violence and unfaithfulness.
 Teenagers are discouraged from involvement in premarital sex.
 Churches also offer pre-marital and marital counselling.
 Helps the less fortunate by donating things like clothes, food and many more.

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 3) THE COMMUNITY
 Address family issues through meetings and workshops.
 Take part in family functions such as funerals, weddings and family ceremonies.
 There are also committees such as Anti-AIDS organisations which address
HIV/AID related matters.

4) NON-GOVERMENTAL ORGANISATIONS
 NGOs such as the United Nations, Red Cross try to promote family ties and unity
through globalization of the human race and declaration of basic human rights.
Emang Basadi fights for the rights of women in families and in the country.
 Childline advocates for and protects the rights of children below the age of 18
years old. It can also provide counselling and legal assistance for abused children.
 Metlhaetsile makes sure that men take care of their children through maintenance
and support. It also provides legal services to women and children so that men
take up the responsibility of looking after their families.

COMPARE CHANGES IN THE FAMILY IN BOTSWANA AND OUTSIDE

TRADITIONAL FAMILY MODERN FAMILY

Head of the family was the father and the sole
provider of the family.
Gender imbalance such as decision making
which was only made by men.
Pre-arranged marriages where parents chose
partners for their children.
Large families where common where children
where used as a source of labour and security
and was also used as a sign of virility in men.
Extended families were common in the past
Roles or division of labour was based on
gender.
Single parent families are emerging especially
female-headed households.
Gender-equality is emphasized as decisions are
made by both parents.
People choose their own marriage partners.
Families become small due to the high
standards of living and HIV and AIDS.
Nuclear family set-ups are now common.
Division of labour is based on factors such as
education and globalization.
Homosexuality

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