Summit 2016- Tosing Council COE

Tosing Community Council is a community council that is located in the Quthing District of Lesotho. It is found in the rural village of Sebala on the way to Mount Moorosi.

With progress to implementing gender policies, there is not much that has been made but the council is aware of the post 2015 SADC gender protocol and SDGs. Tosing did not want to be left behind with gender issues especially the ones affecting them. The council has 12 male councillors and 13 female councillors. The council’s Deputy Mayor is a female.

The council has four committees, two of which are being chaired by a woman. There are no representatives of youth and people living with disabilities (PWD). There are more women in the council and there is no Junior Council.

Women, PWD and youth actively participate in the council work and women are part of the decision makings. Approximately 26%-50% women participate in public consultations. During public gatherings women, men, people living with disability and youth are well represented.

The council has 30 percent men, 50 percent women employed and 20 percent youth that have been employed. Women form 67 percent of the council’s management and the council’s secretary is a woman. There has been much progress achieved in this council because more women are involved in decision making.

There are provisions for maternity leave but none for paternity leave. Maternity leave is paid for and it goes on for three months. The council does not have a sexual harassment policy. Cases of sexual harassment, if there are any, are reported to the police. There are no facilities that cater for people living with disabilities.

Tosing Community Council allocates substantial budget to gender-related projects, and they increase from 2015 to 2016.

The council has a local economic development plan that targets women, PWD, and youth entrepreneurs as key beneficiaries. There are schemes for entrepreneurs linked to council. Youth and PWD are very much involved in the council’s LED.

Women and men, together with youth and PWD participate fully in water and sanitation committees that are available. There is only two of them, one being led by a woman and the other being chaired by a man.

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