Summit 2016- Bokong Council COE

Bokong community council is situated in the rural village of Bokong in the Thaba-Tseka district. Bokong council joined   COE process in 2013. The council is working within the national gender policy that incorporates the Post 2015 SADC Gender Protocol, SDGS and other relevant targets

The council has put in place a number of gender-related policies to guide its work. The district council consist of 14 male councillors and 12 female councillors. The council aims to expand its percentage of female councillors from 46%. The Mayor, as well as the Deputy Mayor of the council are males.

The council is made up of 3 committees, one of which is chaired by woman. The number of women and men employed in their Workforce of the council are equal.

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 46 percent women. The accounting and revenue officers are women. The Council amended the recruitment, selection and promotion policies to increase the proportion of women in the workforce. There are no entrepreneurship finance schemes available.

There are provisions for maternity and paternity leave. The council does not have a sexual harassment policy. Cases related to Sexual harassment, they enforce the national sexual harassment and hold disciplinary hearings for offenders.

The Bokong Community Council (K04) 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, there is no comprehensive gender policy attached to the procurement process, women still enjoy equal opportunities to men, of the last 5 business contracts awarded by the Council, 3 belonged to women.

Women, men, PWD, and youth are involved in the planning, management, and maintenance of water and sanitation. There is a total of 48 water and sanitation committees. There is 36 women and 12 men on the committees, two of which is chaired by a woman.

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