Married women in Botswana can for the first time be allocated state land even if their husbands already have an allocation of their own, President Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

People in the country are able to go on a waiting list to receive land from the government, but, until Thursday's amendment to the law, an individual would be removed from the list if they got married to someone who already had a land allocation.

This mostly affected women and led to problems following divorce or death of the husband.

Botswana's president tweeted the amended law which reads: "Each Motswana will be eligible for allocation of one residential plot at an area of their choice within the country, on both state land and tribal land."

He said the new policy will also protect widows and orphans who head households and are in need of land for residential purposes.

Rights groups have welcomed the change saying it was long overdue.