Summit 2016 – Makoni Rural District Council COE

The Makoni rural district council is in Manicaland province of Zimbabwe.

The council currently has 39 councillors of which four are women. The deputy mayor of the council is female. The council has 10 committees.

Young people, people with disabilities (PWD) and community members participate in community-based planning, projects and meetings. For example, the Council selected community to work on Ngowe causeway regardless of their sex. All women, men, youths and PWD were recruited to construct the causeway.

Approximately 0 – 25 percent of women participate in public consultations. The council appreciates the inputs of its community members and as a result, representation/participation of young people or PWDs is practised through hosting budget consultation meetings with stakeholders including women’s group’s representatives and townships resident’s association members.

Of the total workforce, the council employs 20 percent women. There are 12 people in management and six of those are women. Council budgeted ten thousand dollars for 2017 to be channelled to women’s groups. Already Finance committee recommended that people living with disabilities and youths should form their groups and benefit from the women’s revolving fund.

The council provides maternity leave of 3 months which is paid. The council neither provides for paternity leave and flexi-time. The council has a sexual harassment policy. The council also provides disability-friendly facilities.

Makoni Rural District Council allocates the following to gender-related projects:

As part of the council’s local economic development plan, it provides 85 percent of the market stands to women and 15 percent are allocated to men. There is currently a women’s revolving fund which has benefited 20 women’s group in the various wards of the district. It is the council’s wish to increase the number and value of the contracts allocated to women, PWD and youths provided they respond to council’s advertisements.

The council is guided by a number of laws in place that respond to climate change. The council does not have its own policy on climate change. Communities are aware of how climate change is affecting their well-being. Sub district workshops have been conducted with the assistance of the Department of Environmental Management Agency.

Click here to read more about the Makoni RDC