Summit 2017-Tsoelikana Council COE

Tsoelikana Community Council is found in the rural area called Tsoelike in the Qacha’s Nek district.The council joined the COE in 2010.

The council has a total of 27 councillors. Women represent 48%. Due to the fact that the council chairperson is a male he automatically chairs the finance committee and the management committee, so this leaves only two committee being chaired by women out of the five that council has.

The council has worked very hard to mainstream gender in their policies and overall council and community activities. Both women and men participate equally in the council and during council meetings all decisions taken are on the basis of issues that affect both men and women.

The has 17 employees of which five are men while 12 are women; from the management there are two man and five women which gives them upper hand and be able to show their fully stand.

here are provisions for maternity where women who are going to give birth are given three months paid leave. The council does have a sexual harassment policy, but the gender champion together with the Councillors work in collaboration with the chiefs to even root out the hidden cases. The women lawyers also engage with the council in restoration of the law and sensitization.

The council also  works with the police – gender unit and the health department for counselling services and the law also apply to the perpetrators and the disciplinary procedures.

Tsoelikana Community Council allocated budget to gender-related projects for 2017 to 2018.

The council has lists that show 400 males and 850 females allocated land. More women have land and houses based on the number of letters received form the community requesting land.

The council does not have a Local Economic Development plan/policy in place however the council is in charge of a project that benefits both the men and women of the community of Tsoelikana. The council is currently building a market space for all the informal traders at Sehlaba Thebe.

The council has plan of action on climate change which outlines the challenges and the plans that the council have in place to combat climate change. Some activities include campaigns against deforestation, rangeland management, the continuous use of boreholes, protecting dams and plans to start with recycling. The council holds dialogues to discuss water use and safety.640 men and 980 women have benefited from jobs created in fight for effects of climate change.

The council has an HIV/ AIDS policy which is adapted from the National policy on HIV/AIDS. In showing support to the immediate community of Tsoelikana the council converted one of the offices into a VCT room for the community. The idea came about when the members of the community were dying from lack of taking their ARV treatment due to the fact that the clinics are tens of kilometres away. The council has an arrangement with the local clinic every month where some clinic staff goes to the council and spends a day there giving community members their treatment and providing other health care services.

Click here to read more about the Tsoelikana Community Council.