Summit 2016: South East District Council

South East District Council has its headquarters in Ramotswa, located in between Gaborone and Lobatse, Botswana. A gender and local government workshop was undertaken with the council in 2010 and a gender action plan was developed.

The council has put in place a number of gender-related policies to guide its work. The district council consist of 17 male councillors and 8 female councillors. The council aims to expand its percentage of female councillors from 32%. The Mayor, as well as the Deputy Mayor of the council are males.

The council is made up of 14 committees, six of which are chaired by woman. There are more men employed than women in their Workforce of the council.

Young people, people living with disabilities (PWD) and community members participate in community-based planning projects and meetings. Between 51 and 75 percent, women participate in public consultations.

The total workforce of the council employees consist of 37 percent women, 10 percent youth and one percent people with disabilities. Women are only 4 of management. The accounting and revenue officers are women. the council continues to advocate and recruit women in non traditional areas of decision making currently women earn more than men as evidenced above , even though there are more men in managerial positions. there are more men than women in the council staff and more male Councillors in the council political wing, however we see women being influential in the council as they also hold positions of power as committee chairpersons and as managers. most women are middle managers hence they earn more than men, this meaning they are influential and contributing in decision making and planning of the District.

There are provisions for maternity leave but none for paternity leave. The council does not have a sexual harassment policy. Cases related to Sexual harassment, There is the public service act and the general orders that include in them laws on how sexual harassment is dealt with.

The South East District Council allocates a substantial budget to gender-related projects, these amounts have increased from 2015 to 2016.

As part of the of the Council’s local economic development plan, The council hold market days every month which market both men and women products. we find out that most people who turn up for market days are normally women as they are the ones who mostly benefit from local economic empowerment projects. There are no stands allocated specifically to women the market places are open to everyone though most benefiting like said are women. There are 700beneficiaries benefiting from jobs created by the council, 400 women and 300 men.

Women, men, PWD, and youth are involved in the planning, management, and maintenance of water and sanitation. There is a total of 69 water and sanitation committees. There is 50 women and 19 men on the committees, two of which is chaired by a woman.

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