Summit 2018: Moshupa Sub District Council

Moshupa is a large village in the Southern District of Botswana with a population of 42292. The people of Moshupa are called the Bakgatla-ba-ga Mmanaana, a group also found in Thamaga. Along with the related Bakgatla-ba-ga Kgafela of Mochudi, they arrived to the region from the Transvaal region in South Africa throughout the eighteenth century.

Moshupa is characterised by unique and gigantic mountain outcrops, which often leave visitors in wonder. The giant rocks (some up to 40 metres in radius) are so balanced on top of each other that even the villagers themselves wonder why they do not fall. They are believed to fall only when the village chief is dying, as an omen. Moshupa Sub district is situated in Moshupa.

The senior Assistant council secretary Mr Asiah K Odirile is the Gender champion who is supportive on issues of Gender mainstreaming. The gender focal person is Veronica Nkganetsang. The council through The Gender Committee has engaged in a number of outreach activities, at local level as well as within the council itself in order to disseminate information on issues such as increased level of awareness, acquirement of 50% decision-making and women’s active participation in politics. There are 11 male councillors and 2 female councillors. The Mayor is male and the Deputy Mayor is a male figure.

The council comprises of 19 committees, 1 of which is chaired by women. Young People, people with disabilities and community members participate in community-based planning projects and meetings. An average of 26-50 percent, women participate in public consultations. These involve workshops and kgotla meetings.

Of the total workforce, the council employs 72 men and 47 women, 143 youth and 119 disabled people. There are 4 men and 7 women in the management. The finance officer is a woman. There are provision of maternity leave and none for paternity leave. The council also provides sexual harassment policy. Cases of sexual harassment are reported through the various, procedures are it police or court.

Moshupa Sub District Council gender budget for the 2017 to 2018.

The council‘s local development plan, it provides entrepreneurial activities through poverty eradication schemes, youth as well as Gender Affairs applications. It also carried out market days around the president’s holidays and through cultural festivals that are usually developed and implemented on an ad-hoc basis around the Moshupa Sub district areas. Whenever tenders were being disbursed, the council’s 15% preferential opportunity was reserved for women, PWDS and youth desiring to engage within the tender process.

Women are given an opportunity to bid and compete in waste management collection tender and quotations. They are involved in clean up and waste collections campaign by exhibiting their products during the commemorations.

Moshupa promotes SRHR through AIDS commerations, campaign such as Rola kepese and cervical cancer screening. It has 17 health facilities around the sub district and all offer ARV treatment. Under Ending Violence, they have psychosocial retreat to capacitate the boy and girl child and they have stakeholder collaborations yo educate the public. Street naming has been implemetated for easy identification and quick response to emergency and the offer counselling. The committee monitors its progress by sensitisations staff during Monday morning talks.

Lack of funding hinder the committee to organise events that sensitise the community and employees on gender mainstreaming issues.

Click here to read more about the Moshupa Sub district Council