what did Dinah Marathe say concerning age of consent?

Dinah Marathe was reported as saying the legal age of consent in Botswana should go back to 16 years, arguing that raising it to 18 had not curbed defilement and that lower ages were used in some other countries.

What she said

• She said the consent age “should go back to 16 years” to help curb defilement.

• She also argued that increasing the age to 18 “hasn’t solved the problem”.

• In another report, she was quoted saying that a 16-year-old is a child and that consent should remain at 18, showing that the public discussion around her remarks includes strongly conflicting interpretations or reactions.

Context

The remarks were reported on June 24, 2026, in connection with her appearance before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. The issue appears to have sparked debate online, with posts framing it as a proposal to lower the age of consent from 18 to 16.

Concise answer

So, in the reporting that circulated, Marathe’s main position was that the legal consent age should be reduced from 18 to 16 to address defilement.