Summit 2018 – Kariba Municipality COE

The Kariba Municipality is in the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe.

The council has budgeted for gender activities in the year 2017. The Kariba Stakeholders Gender Committee has been encouraged to take gender issues to a higher level in their respective organisations by implementing the work plan.

Youths are incorporated in the various structures of the junior council. Although there are more boys than girls, the council is chaired by a young woman. The Kabira Municipality has 4 committees in which 2 are chaired by women. Young people, people with disabilities and community members participate in community-based planning projects and meetings where their insights are taken into account. Between 51 and 75 percent, women participate in public consultations which include women who are employed in the council. The municipality values input from people living with disabilities and the youth in ward and stakeholder consultative meetings.

Of the total workforce of 244 people, the council employs 51 women which accounts for 20 percent of the employees, 63 youth individuals and 0 people living with disabilities. There are no women in management however there are examples of women in non-traditional areas of decision making which include female municipal constables and plant operators. The Council amended the recruitment, selection and promotion policies to increase the proportion of women in the workforce.

They reserved two positions in the management positions to be filled by women as part of empowering women leaders and in a bid to promote 50/50 representation in decision making positions within their local authority.. There are provisions for maternity leave which is 3 months long. The council also provides flexitime where breastfeeding mothers are given an hour before work or hour before they knock off to breastfeed their children. There currently also is no paternity leave provision.

The council has a sexual harassment policy which is part of the Code of Conduct and it bears some warning depending on the nature and extent of the harassment. Disability-friendly toilets and other facilities are not available at the council as well as ramps to facilitate accessibility for people with disabilities.

As part of the of the Council’s local economic development plan, 95% of the market places have been allocated to women with one one market stall at Teachers Vegetable Market allocated to a female PWD. Other projects which are supported by the council include the Cheerfund Foundation which hands out food hampers to the vulnerable members of the community. The council also supports the HIV Policy which caters for those infected with HIV/AIDS and their immediate families through providing medical care in the community.

The Kariba municipality through its council attempt to promote gender equality to the best of its abilities. As part of ending violence and empowering women, they have formed a community watch among its community members which assists in policing irregular activity; where women and men comprise the neighbourhood watch committee.

For further information, click here to read more on the Kariba Municipality