Summit 2018 – Hurungwe Rural District Council

The Hurungwe Rural District Council (RDC) is in the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe. The council has crafted a number of gender-related policies to guide its work. Currently, there are 23 male councillors and 3 female councillors. The council is working to increase the proportion of female councillors from 12%. The Deputy Mayor of the council is female.

The council has five committees, three of which are chaired by women. There are more young men than young women on the Hurungwe RDC Junior Council, the chairperson is a young woman.

Young people, people with disabilities and community members participate in community-based planning projects and meetings. Between 51 and 75 percent, women participate in public consultations. These include water and sanitation meetings, community-based planning and budget meetings.

Of the total workforce, the council employs 42 percent women, 12 percent youth and two percent people with disabilities. Women are only 20 of management. The accounting and revenue officers are women. The Council amended the recruitment, selection and promotion policies to increase the proportion of women in the workforce

There are provisions for maternity leave but none for paternity leave. The council does have a sexual harassment policy. Cases of sexual harassment have to be reported through the various committees of the Council. Disability-friendly toilets are available at the council as well as ramps to facilitate accessibility for people with disabilities.

Hurungwe RDC allocates a substantial budget to gender-related projects, these amounts have increased from 2016 to 2017.

As part of the of the Council’s local economic development plan, it provides 20 tables at Zvipani market to women, people with disabilities and young people. In addition, the Council coordinates loans and provides livestock in the form of goats and hens. Hens were distributed to 135 beneficiaries, 49 women and 86 men.

Women, men, PWD, and youth are involved in the planning, management, and maintenance of water and sanitation. There is a total of 517 water and sanitation committees. There are 2068 women and 1551 men on the committees. All 517 water and sanitation committees are chaired by women.

Click here to read more about the Hurungwe Council.