Mazabuka Municipal Council Institutional Profile

“Gender links has provided the council with training, the council now has an important role to put theory into practical and ensure that women, girls and boys are protected.”

Mazabuka Municipal council is among other councils that have been privileged to become centres of excellence. Having turned into centres of excellence by Gender Links, the council as seen to it that it is important to develop gender equality policies and strategies that seek to provide women and men equal opportunities. The council recognise the importance of having equal opportunities, however before the council was changed as a centres of excellence, the council did not consider gender issues as something that can be practical. The council participated in most of gender activities that were organised but other organisations but it did not make efforts to increase awareness and commitment to support equal participation of women and men.

The council has since progressed in many areas. The council has not yet developed a local gender policy, however it has made efforts to utilise the national gender policy. Gender Links has also made it possible for the council to implement the HIV/AIDS policy effectively and efficiently. It now recognises the factors which have fuelled life threatening diseases and disabilities, this is in effort to protect basic human rights, preserve the integrity of the labour force and remain committed to providing quality and assured social services.

The gender training has enabled the council to have a gender structure and a gender focal person. The gender focal person plays a proactive role ensuring gender balance at all sphere of the council. The council is now free to talk about gender issues; it has continued to raise awareness even outside the council. The council is working closely with community to carry out sensitisation on gender quality and also gender based violence. It is now making efforts to develop a close working relationship with the police to put gender based violence to an end. The community is now aware that all cases of gender based violence should be reported to the police station, in the past the community was not aware where to report such cases.

The characteristics that distinguish the council are the support that it gives to society including people with disabilities and members of staff on matters of HIV/AIDS. The council provides care and support to the infected staff to ensure the wellbeing of employees and their immediate dependants. The council is planning to extend HIV/AIDS training in the community, but the challenges that it has so far experienced is sufficient funding. In the strategic plan which is to be developed the council has considered giving support to care givers, the project will involve both women and men.

If the plan of training care givers is achieved, Mazabuka district will have respect for human rights, no discrimination, stigma, harassment and discrimination. The internal HIV/AIDS committee of Mazabuka Municipal council includes staff, management and councillors. The councillors have taken this upon themselves by visiting the community/wards and sensitise on HIV/AIDS. To effectively have gender balance and justice both women men should get involved. The council noted that performance can be strengthened if the council makes a gender responsive budget and implement it.

Gender mainstreaming activities will incorporate the goal of equality; it will focus on bringing the experience, knowledge and interests of women and men into all aspects of the development agenda.