Summit 2017-Sephokong Council COE

Sephokong Community council is situated in Leribe district about 10 kilometres from Hlotse town.

The council has gender action plan that incorporates the Post 2015 SADC Gender Protocol, SDGs and other relevant targets, It is also known and has a high profile champion within the council that also represent the council in the district. There are 21 council members; nine women and 11 men. The council has four committees and two are chaired by women.

The women, people living with the disability (PWD) and youth participate in public gathering; from 76%-100%.All the decisions taken women are part of them.

57% of the council management staff is occupying decision making positions and this positions include; the community council secretary, the assistant administration officer and assistant physical planner.

There is a maternity leave for women within our work place. Women are given three months maternity leave and one hour every day for child care after this period of three months until the baby is six months old. (It is in the Local Government Service Regulation Act 2011)The council does not have sexually harassment policy, but cases are reported at the police station. The council situated in a place where is accessible to everybody and facilities are disability free.

Sephokong Community Council allocated a substantial budget to gender-related projects for the 2017 to 2018.

In Terms of local economic development the council has a market place for women entrepreneurs where they are selling their goods and also Gender Links has provided business skills.

There are water projects, and solid waste management projects in the council. These is whereby

both women and men are given equal chance of working in these projects. Engaging people in these projects improves their standard of living because they benefit from those projects.

The council keeps sex disaggregated data of land allocations for council & community beneficiaries. Both men and women are allocated land. Unmarried women and widows have equal access to land allocation.

Water projects are also available and there are committees that are always involved when implementing the projects. Women tend to benefit mostly in this because water points are brought near to the villages, thus reducing distance travelled to fetch water.

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