Local Government

On behalf of my colleagues in the Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance, I feel very privileged and honoured to stand before you today and deliver this speech. The gender sector in our region is unique in the extent to which it has opened the door to civil society participation. Together with our Governments, we campaigned for a SADC Protocol on Gender and Development with 28 targets to be achieved by 2015. With two years to go until this deadline, also the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, we have changed our slogan from “yes we can” to “yes we must”!

We wish to thank SADC and UNWOMEN for enabling us to make our voice heard at this strategic gathering. We want to assure our governments that we are your firm partners and allies in taking forward the gender agenda in our countries. You have been elected to deliver a better life to all our citizens – especially for women. We are the hands, feet, eyes and ears, hearts and heads, that can help deliver these visionary goals. We are not your competitors but rather an implementing arm of our Governments.

Likila community council is located at 21 km into the northern part of Botha-Bothe District. The council has estimated population of 19 408 people living in 13 electoral divisions which are made up from a total of 114 villages. The council’s office in Khukhune village sits in the beautiful mining area. In 2010 Likila became a centre of Excellence for Gender in Local Government. It has been 2 years since the relationship with GL started, Likila shows significant progress in the latest score of 78% from a mere 38% when the score card was first administered.

Before the intervention of Gender Links, the council had no interest in gender issues. Their main focus was on HIV response. They did not have any structure or policies pertaining gender. Due to lack of knowledge, they were not aware that men can also be caregivers.

Knowledge is power. Before Gender Links’ intervention, the Vuvulane community was not aware and empowered to break the barriers about Gender issues. Now, their well being is taken to a new level.

Fact file Country Zambia Province/Region  Copperbelt Baseline score Latest score Population  451,246 Number of women councillors  6 Number of men councillors Joined the COE programme  2011 Anchored Entrepreneurship Programme Summit […]

Fact file Country Zambia Province/Region  Southern Baseline score Latest score Population  179,585 Number of women councillors  1 Number of men councillors Joined the COE programme  2013 Anchored Entrepreneurship Programme Summit […]

Fact file Country Zambia Province/Region  Southern Baseline score  70 Latest score  44 Population  203,219 Number of women councillors  2 Number of men councillors  20 Joined the COE programme  2009 Anchored […]

“As leaders, our goal is to continually improve town services, attract new businesses and provide a quality of life to accommodate visitors and the citizens of this community. We thank our citizens for their support towards the progress of this TownÀ Sila Bezuidenhout- Mayor.

If you were not watching the road signs and were driving more than 100km/ hour, you could easily miss the little town of Ngwenya. With a population of approximately 1281 people, when you look at the work that this COE is doing on the ground, you will be reassured that size does not matter.

Kitwe City council is relatively new to the Center of Excellence process having been adopted in 2012. Hence not much has been done in terms of mainstreaming gender in the action plan.
In terms of representation at the political level there are very few women at 6 councillors compared to the 22 male councillors.