Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies (JAIS): ISSN 2523-6725 (online) April 2018 Vol. 2, No. 4 Citation: Modie-Moroka, Tirelo (2018). Gender and Intimate Partner Violence Content in Social Work Curriculum in Botswana. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies. 2(4), 41 – 52. 41 Copyright © 2018 Centre for Democracy, Research and Development (CEDRED), Nairobi, Kenya. http://cedred.org/jais/index.php/issues Gender and Intimate Partner Violence Content in Social Work Curriculum in Botswana By Tirelo Modie-Moroka, PhD University of Boswana Email: MODIET@mopipi.ub.bw or morokatm@yahoo.com Abstract Gender and intimate partner violence are widespread, persistent and devastating, and is intertwined with other forms of power, privilege, and social exclusion. G-IPV is a major issue of debate among human rights activists, professionals working with women, survivors themselves and the public. The inclusion of G-IPV content in social work education has been a subject of great interest, mostly in the USA, Australia, Asia, and Europe. As survivors, women and girls comprise the majority as clients of social work services. Though there has been growing consensus and consciousness on G-IPV around the world, the social work curriculum in Botswana is yet to be infused. This paper will develop a rationale for developing a G-IPV course, and present a template for course outline. The paper will end with a suggestion for a course outline on G-IPV and social work practice in Botswana. Key words: Africa; Botswana; Gender; Intimate Partner Violence; Social Work Curriculum Introduction Gender and Intimate Partner Violence [G-IPV] is widespread, persistent and devastating, and is intertwined with other forms of power, privilege, and social exclusion (Cocker & Richter, 1998; Kimuna, & Djamba, 2008; Emenike, Lawoko, & Dalal, 2008; Tjaden, & Thoennes, 1998; WHO, 2004, 2011, 2013). G-IPV is a major issue of debate among human rights activists, professionals working with women, survivors themselves and the public. G-IPV can be perpetrated irrespective of race, ethnicity, age, and sex, marital status, to name a few diversities. The inclusion of G-IPV content in particular in social work education has been a subject of great interest, mostly in developed countries (Danis & Lockhart, 2003; Pyles & Postmus. 2004). Great strides have been made to include gender content in social work curriculum in other countries, but G-IPV content still lags behind. For an extended time, until the late 1980s/early 1980s, the international human rights law was silent on the issue of GBV/VAW/IPV. G-IPV is now considered a significant public health the world over. Botswana has seen the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act (2009), and the training of police officers in responding to violence. There is very little evidence of a more nuanced understanding of the violence problems. Despite these efforts, we observe a dearth of knowledge in the training of social workers to intervene in cases of G-IPV, divergent political, pedagogical, methodological, and conceptual debates, poor evidence on the efficacy of funded interventions, inadequate knowledge and efficacy in G-IPV response, training and education about G-IPV intervention (Gilfus, 2013). Other studies show that social workers themselves reported not having the skill to deal with domestic violence cases (Black et al., 2010; Mabalani, 2006; Fran, 2009; Danis & Lockhart, 2003; Sejoe, 2007; Bennett & Fineran, 2003; Danis, 2004). Gender Basedr Violence (GBV)-Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Concepts Violence is force or power directed towards or by another person, group or community, which has the likelihood of resulting in trauma, injury, death, and psychological harm including