Makoni Rural District Council

Women have been empowered by the Council through the provision of loans which attract only 2% interest to start their own projects. These projects have managed for some women to pay for bride price for their children who are not working, to engage in agriculture for food security and as a source of income through market gardening. Such activities have granted every child the privilege to go to school especially the girl child. Gender is a good practise because there is low representation of women in the political, social and economic society so to increase numbers in these sectors all women must be empowered. Also the motive is to clear serious gender imbalances in all spheres of life. Women do not feature in all the processes of development. Women are vulnerable to gender based violence because of the age factor. In addition to gender it further subordinates them in society.

Key objectives *
What did the process set out to do? -250 words.

To increase gender equality awareness level from 20% to 50% by December 2015 was part of the process set out to promote gender equity by the 50/50 campaign. All stakeholders benefit when the ranges of women ’s current and potential activities are known. This objective was and is still being achieved through educating and encouraging change within communities regarding harmful traditional practices of bride abduction, bride price and early marriages. Creating safe school environments for girls and boys to promote gender equitable relationships and reduce school related gender based violence. At the workplace women and men should have an equal say and all suggestions to be taken into consideration regardless of their sex. The other objective is to create a gender disaggregated data by December 2015. This has enabled allocation of resources and efforts in a more equitable fashion for example in the allocation of residential stands. The gender disaggregated data relates to the agricultural population and households can provide a wealth of gender-specific information on, for example, the structure of the agricultural population, composition of the agricultural households and socio-economic characteristics of the agricultural population. For example in Tandi there is a group practicing organic farming. The gender aggregated data enables to identify and define problems, develop options and choose option which will be most effective and beneficial to both input to economic progress is known and used in decision making.

To revise all Council policies was the process key objective to the set out. There is need to encompass all women and men in for example advertising for tenders it has to be clear that all both parties are to be considered so as to encourage women to be part and parcel of such opportunities. When recruiting employees the employer has to be gender sensitive in order for every woman to have the same privileges as man.

Every child female or male should benefit from local best schools within the District so as to encourage equality regardless of their background.

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