Child abuse is now a global problem that needs to be addressed so that children are made aware of their rights in society and grow up free of such abuses. There is some urgency, therefore, that national laws that protect children against all forms of child abuse should be compatible with international laws as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This note outlines and critiques the laws that protect children against sexual, physical and emotional abuse in Botswana. The note also compares these local laws with the international laws, namely, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The findings of this note show that while the Children's Act of Botswana (1981) is clear about what is and is not sexual and emotional abuse of children by adults in Botswana, it appears to be in conflict with the pieces of legislation when it comes to physical abuse. An outline, critique and implications of these laws on child abuse in Botswana have been examined in this note.
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