Summit 2017-Ntsupe Council COE

Nts’upe Council is situated in the rural area of Ha Mohlapiso in the Qacha’s Nek district. The council joined the COE in 2014 and the entrepreneurship in 2015 and it has completed all the stages for both programmes.

The council ensures that there is gender equity in aspects in the council, for instance, while hiring casual labourers in road constructions. Also, while electing chairperson, vice-chairperson and district council members. The council has 29 councillors; 16 women and 13 men, this is more like 50/50 representation. The Council is chaired by a man deputized by a woman.

The council has three committees and two are chaired by women. During the public gatherings, youth, people with the disabilities (PWD) and community members participate equally especially on aids and service delivery issues. Between 76%- 100% women participate and are part of the decision makings.

The council has 26 employees and 15 are women while the 11 are men. There are three people in the management and one is a woman, also the finance and physical planner officers are both women.

There is a provision for maternity leave of three months and nursing hours for three months after maternity leave. The council does not have a sexual harassment policy, but the cases are referred to the nearest police station. The council place is accessible to people around it and facilities are disability friendly.

Nts’upe Community Council gender budget allocations for the year 2017/2018

The Council has a local economic development plan that targets women, PWD, and youth entrepreneurs as key beneficiaries. This includes the promotion of access to financial opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The council is currently have wool sheds for farmers, positions for wool grading are specifically allocated for women.

Examples of women, PWD, and youth are equally involved in projects that prevent climate change such as waste management, sustainable energy and recycling and people benefit from economic opportunities.

The council has been working very hard to teach women about their access to land and many applications from women had been received, and the council does keep sex disaggregated data on title deeds.

The council is involved in maintaining water projects that are already constructed. There are water committees in almost every village and these committees and projects mostly comprise women.

The council do not have HIV/AIDS policy that is implemented and monitored, but the council is aware of the issues of the HIV/AIDS and giving support as the council, for instance, assisting in condoms distribution.

Testing and treating are done by four clinics and one hospital within the council boundaries. All have access because such operations are not sex restricted. The council encourages men to go for voluntary Counselling and Testing. The council collaborates with police and defence force to assist in ending violence and crime.

But there are neither streets nor streets lights in this area. The council participates in any of the campaigns to raise awareness on gender- based violence; there is a good working relationship between the police and community especially women and most women are well represented in the community policing forums.

Click here to read more about the Nts’upe Community Council.