A dedicated gender and child protection unit to be established within the Botswana Police Service (BPS) will be operational next year.

This was revealed by BPS deputy commissioner of operations, Ms Dinah Marathe during a three-day capacity building workshop on the role of law enforcement in responding to gender-based violence (GBV) in Francistown on Wednesday.

Ms Marathe said the unit would deal with, among others, domestic violence and sexual offences relating to children.

She said BPS priority was to ensure that all GBV cases were reported, perpetrators arrested and brought to book, adding that the feat would be possible through strict enforcement of the relevant legislation.