Dumile Magongo – Swaziland

I am the Town Clerk for the Ngwenya town board, and my main responsibilities are to manage the affairs of the town council and to ensure that all the policies in place are implemented. My relationship with Gender Links started in 2011, when I was approached as the town clerk to participate in the Local government Centre of Excellence process.

They actually make the councillors work very close with the communities, and it’s different from what we used to do. The town council has been able to get serious feedback from community and has started engaging more with the community.

I’ve attended the Gender Budgeting workshops organised by Gender Links in Swaziland, and the trainings have been an eye opener. I learned a lot on how better budgeting can help to advance women in the community.

After having been inspired by the work being done around the region on advancing gender equality through different gender budgeting initiatives, I have taken it upon myself to make sure that my town’s budgets speaks to the needs of women.

Before Gender Links’ intervention, I wasn’t aware of the many forms in which gender based violence can exist. Because of my lack of knowledge on the subject, I was not a in a good position to help victims in my community. Ever since I gained more knowledge on the many forms which GBV can happen I have become more responsible as in the past there were things that were happening around me and I wouldn’t be able pick up that someone was being victimised.

My self-esteem has also grown ever since I started attending Gender Links women in leadership courses; now I am able to stand up for myself. My confidence has also improved, and I have started mentoring young women in my community on life skills. I didn’t have courage to talk to people, and this used to prevent me from taking an active role in assisting members of the community accordingly.

I hope to continue encouraging the community to embrace change and gender equality. Currently I volunteer at a children’s social centre, where I am coordinating a small project of the production of petroleum jelly, earrings and necklaces. I am using my influential position at the town council to get a market for the products that they are producing.

I commend Gender Links for the good work they are doing with the municipal local authorities to mainstream gender in all local government work and will need their support to launch a campaign to get more gender mainstreaming taking place at all levels of government.