
SHARE:
The first Zimbabwe Gender Justice Local Government Summit and Awards ended in Kadoma on 29 March with a call for the new Constitution to enshrine gender equality and ensure women’s equal participation and representation in decision-making.
High level delegates from Councils, local government associations, Non Governmental and Community Based Organisations from across the country called on the COPACto seize this historic moment by “walking the talk” of the fifty- fifty campaign.
“Zimbabwe has signed and ratified the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development,” the delegates noted. “We must therefore create mechanisms for ensuring women’s equal participation in all areas of decision-making by 2015. The best way of doing so is through special measures written into the Constitution that will redress the historical imbalance between women and men.”
The summit also called on Zimbabweans from all walks of life to join hands in halving gender violence by 2015 – another of the 28 targets of the SADC Gender Protocol adopted in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2008. The SADC Gender Protocol has been described as a roadmap for achieving Millenium Development Goal Three – gender equality.
Convened by Gender Links, the Zimbabwe Local Government Association (ZILGA) and the Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU), the summit brought together 87 delegates (56 women and 31 men) from all ten provinces of the country to share best practices on ending gender violence and empowering women.
Some 58 entrants (43 women and 15 men) showcased work on the ground in ten categories – institutional change, leadership, youth leadership, support, response, prevention of GBV; HIV and AIDS and care work; gender and governance; local economic development and climate change. The winners (see Annex A) will go on to compete in the regional Gender Justice and Local Government Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa from 23-25 April.
GL, in partnership with the ARDC and UCAZ, is working with 14 councils across Zimbabwe that have elected to join the Centres of Excellence for Gender Mainstreaming in Local Government that devise and implement local level action plans for attaining the SADC Gender Protocol targets.
With 19% women in local government and 18% in parliament, Zimbabwe falls far short of the SADC target on women’s political participation.Delegates welcomed the strong support by the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Planning Dr Ignatius Chombo for the SADC gender protocol and work on the ground to ensure its ideals become a reality.
The WINNERS
QUICK FACTS:
CATEGORY ONE: GENDER VIOLENCE – PREVENTION
WINNER: OSCAR TSVUURA (Ruwa): Council in partnership with law enforcement agencies & legal advisors is holding awareness campaigns on GBV
.
RUNNER UP: AUDREY MANYEMWE (Bulawayo) :Council is holding workshops together with MWAGCD, NAC, MSF&Byo Legal Projects Centre to capacitate staff on GBV issues so that they can participate in awareness programmes e.g. 16 Days.
CATEGORY TWO: GENDER VIOLENCE – SUPPORT
WINNER: EUNICE CHAHWANDA (Chegutu): Is networking with support systems such as the Police Public Relations Department, Women Organisations such as Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA), Musasa Project and Justice for Children Trust (JCT) to address GBV issues.
RUNNER UP:IRENE NHLOKO (Zibagwe): Held several workshops on gender &GBV issues.Also invited other organisations to help with the awareness programmes.She has also sought the local media to make it public.
CATEGORY THREE: GENDER VIOLENCE RESPONSE
WINNER:OWEN GWASIRA (Chiredzi): Council has done a lot in trying to address gender issues within council policies and in service delivery.Examples are, allocation of house and recruitment practices.
RUNNER UP: CLARA MAKWARA (Chitungwiza): The Councillor has formed a social group Instant Truth & Justice Forum, which helps victims and perpetrators of GBV with counselling, conflict management (inheritance disputes) & a basis on which to seek legal assistance for victims of GBV.
CATEGORY FOUR: GENDER AND GOVERNANCE
WINNER:BERNADETTE CHIPEMBERE (Chiredzi) : Embarked on a drive to sensitize people at community level on the 50/50 campaign and it’s tenets in light of the knowledge gaps that existed by setting up 50/50 ward campaign teams who were educated on the demographics of elections in Zimbabwe &SADC so as to push the 50/50 agenda.
RUNNER UP: ATHANASCHIDZURIRA (Kwekwe): The council is capacitating men & women through training in gender & governance issues including policy makers & the community leaders. It is also consentizing residents,council workers and other community leaders on gender analysis, mainstreaming budgeting, media literacy and transformation leadership.
CATEGORY FIVE: CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
WINNER:THEMBENIKHOZA (Bulawayo): A clean-up campaign was staged in the councillor’s ward for the removal of refuse with the assistance of council. Project also presented other green avenues like collection of recyclable material.
RUNNER UP: REGIS MANJORO (Fatherhood Peace Project): After conducting a Baseline Survey, Through Capacity Building Fatherhood Peace Project raised awareness on Climate Change and the need to prepare resilience and copying strategies by organizing community planning meetings on Resilience Building, Resilience Building community training workshops, Awareness Campaigns and establish social safety nets for those most affected by Climate Change.
CATEGORY SIX: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
WINNER: JOYCE PHIR I(Mazowe):The council in the Christon Bank area is employing unemployed youths, women for Road Maintenance programmes, leading to a reduction in poverty & criminal activity including prostitution.
RUNNER UP: TAPIWA MARERWA (Gweru):Council has embarked on a poverty reduction & LED project by providing skills, workspace, employment opportunities, tools/equipment to marginalised groups for the production of goods & services.
CATEGORY SEVEN: HIV AND AIDS AND CARE WORK
WINNER: PRECIOUS MUTSETSE (Chiredzi): The council with the support of various stakeholders through the polyclinic is advocating for male involvement in in prevention, care and support as a means aimed towards behaviour change to combat HIV/AIDS. Council has adopted an HIV/AIDS policy. An action plan has been formulated of work to be done.
RUNNER UP: NATSAI MUDZUDZA: (Kariba): Council has been adversely affected by HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Consequently it sought training for its employees as Voluntary Peer Educators, who are carrying out HIV/AIDS awareness in the council. The sensitization includes education on VCT, Care & Support, HBC training. Council has adopted an HIV/AIDS Policy as well as a Gender Policy.
CATEGORY EIGHT: LEADERSHIP
WINNER: IRENE NHLOKO (Zibagwe): The Councillor has managed to join hands with Padare going round the district together with Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, the local authority, and Ministry of Women Affairs sensitizing people about Gender &GBV issues.
RUNNER UP: PRECIOUS MUFAHORE (Norton): She has encouragedand recruitedwomen in her ward to self help projects.
CATEGORY NINE: YOUTH LEADERSHIP
WINNER: MOLLE NRUTSATE (Norton):She has formed a Beach Soccer Team for both boys & girls in the community in the hope that they will be empowered through sport.
RUNNER UP: MICHAEL GORE(Kadoma):Spearheaded the formation of a youth group Berina Community Arts, which does theatre activities in the community concerning issue of GBV.
CATEGORY TEN: CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
These Councils have shown particular commitment and dedication in the implementation of the ten stage Centre of Excellence process:
Harare
Chiredzi
Chegutu
Zvimba
Gweru
For more information visit the Gender Links website or contact: Priscilla Maphosa0772 735 722, zimlocalgvt@genderlinks.org.za
📝Read the emotional article by @nokwe_mnomiya, with a personal plea: 🇿🇦Breaking the cycle of violence!https://t.co/6kPcu2Whwm pic.twitter.com/d60tsBqJwx
— Gender Links (@GenderLinks) December 17, 2024
0 thoughts on “First Zimbabwe Gender Justice and Local Government Summit and Awards”
i have liked the way Zimbabwe has shown us what happened and who won. This has not been done in our country Zambia. Keep it up Zimbabwe