The gender and governance programme has grown out of various research and advocacy projects aimed at promoting equal representation and effective participation of women in decision-making. The programme has evolved to be regionally recognised, and in 2010 it won the Mail and Guardian “Investing in the Future” award in the non-profit category for recognising the importance of working with local government to bring about social change in Southern Africa. Click here to view programme progress from the latest annual report. View the video: At the Coalface: Gender and Local Government in Southern Africa
The Centres of Excellence for Gender in Local Government brings together all GL’s core programmes focusing these in local municipalities in each of ten countries that GL works every year: Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Gender Links currently works with 430 local authorities in the 10 countries GL has offices in. Research provides the evidence for the work; this informs policies and action plans which are advocated in various ways. The COE’s represent a unique on–the-job approach to training. Evidence shows that this approach is changing lives. Watch the video.
Over the years, Gender Links has assisted local authorities in developing flagship projects for ending gender based violence, and empowering survivors of violence through entrepreneurship training. Watch the video – Connecting the Dots – on how GL is linking the work with local councils to ending gender violence, community by community.
