Summit 2019:Gaborone City Council

The council’s gender champion is Mr. O.K Mafala who is the Deputy Town Clerk and the gender focal person is Ms. K Segokgo. Female representation in the council stands at 18.2%in the council’s management which is a 4% less than the previous year and at 43.9% of the entire staff.

Gender Policy

The council has the gender action plan that runs from 2016 to 2020. The plan has incorporated 2015 SADC Gender Protocol, SDGs and other targets.

Governance

Women represent 18.2% of the council management and occupy positions such as the Chief Social and Community Development Officer and Chief Human Resource and Administration Officer. Within the council and in the community served, women are free to participate in forums such as Kgotla meetings, workshops, WDC.

Workplace Policy and Practice

The council provides its services to everyone regardless of sex, age or disability. Jobs advertised at the council are open for persons of any gender and are never advertised as open to one gender over the other. Moreover, employees of the council are men and women.

Local Economic Development

The council has 192 market stalls that are allocated on an equal opportunity basis. 64% of them have been allocated to women, 19.1 % to men ,1% to people living with disability and 15% to youth. The council has entrepreneurship finance programs like poverty eradication scheme. It has collaborated with Gender Affairs Department, Youth department, District commissioner and the business community to promote access to finance for local entrepreneurs, especially women, PWD and the youth. Thus far in 2019,7 women were enrolled in basic sewing from 18 March – May 06 at Tsholofelo Hall.A further 8 women were enrolled in patchwork and quilting from 18 February -28 March at G-West hall.

Climate Change and Sustainable Development

The council has a waste management committee which sensitizes the community about waste source separation. Drop off centres have been set up in locations in Gaborone where dustbins have been labelled according to different types of waste to facilitate recycling and re-use activities. The council also carried out a litter picking campaign at Old Naledi with the community.

Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS

Through the social department the council provides vulnerable persons i.e. orphans, destitute persons with sanitary pads. The council premises also have SHE bins in all the female toilets.

Ending Violence

Through the rehabilitation office, as a manner of empowerment the council provided skills training on crafts making for caregivers of people with disabilities. The council held a commemoration event for the 16 days of activism against GBV and a Disability Wellness Day which was held on the 8 November 2018.

Communication and Visibility

The Town Clerk convenes quarterly staff meetings to facilitate communication within the council. The council prints and distributes pamphlet s on the services provided by the different departments. The GCC also informs the community about its activities through radio interviews & the GCC Facebook page.

Gender Management System

The GCC has a Gender committee which includes within it a gender champion, gender commissioner and a gender focal person. The committee has been trained and inducted.

Resource Allocation

No budget for the gender agenda.

Challenges

There is lacking commitment from members of the committee as most were appointed and are not in the committee out of their own volition and passion. The council doesn’t have a budget for gender mainstreaming activities

Lessons Learned and Innovation

It has become apparent to the gender committee that collaboration between it and heads of department is very vital for easy access of information and to facilitate the release of staff to attend the committee meetings. To circumvent the budget challenge the committee has resolved to concentrate on activities that require little to no funding.

Proper handing over is by outgoing members to new members is necessary to ensure that everyone is up to date with activities and how everything works. Resource allocation for gender activities is also necessary to ensure sustainability.