Gender Equality Capacity Assessment Validation
Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), this morning conducted a Validation meeting of the Local Authorities Gender Equality Capacity Assessment Report as part of the organisation’s effort to promote gender mainstreaming and gender equality within local authorities from Matabeleland south and North which comprise Lupane Local Board, Kusile Rural District Council, Gwanda Rural District Council, and Umzingwane Rural District Council (URDC).
The meeting was conducted as part of the Promoting Civil Society engagement in local government and decision-making processes Project in partnership with Diakonia, with support from the European Union.
The meeting was also graced by representatives from four Community Based Organisations which include Youth Invest, Esigodini Residents Association (ESRA), Gwanda Community Economic Justice Development Trust (GCEJDT) and Sibanye Animal Welfare and Conservancy Trust. Partner organisations which include Diakonia, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BUPRA) and South Western Region Gender Network (SWRGN). The workshop was held as a report back platform to the four local authorities in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South that were involved in the research that was carried out in May 2020.
The Gender Equality Capacity Assessment Research was conducted as a means of assessing the current level of gender mainstreaming either in resource allocation within these Councils that are located in the rural communities or peri- urban areas. Research consultants, Dr Cornelius Ncube and Mrs Siphilisiwe Ncube led the presentation on the key findings from the Gender Equality Capacity Assessment Research.
Respondents who participated for the research included a total of 56 males and 44 females. The major setback of the research was on the availability of the key respondents.
Dr Ncube said the research methodology was centered around convenience and purposive sampling. These research methods selected evaluation respondents based on availability and level of involvement in the affairs of the local authorities. There were cases of respondents that where followed up through telephone interviews.
Through the research, it emerged that women are visible at community level as opposed to within the local authority. From the local authorities it was noted that there is a greater percentage of male councilors when comparing to their female counterparts.
Through the research, it came to light that administrative Council employees need capacity strengthening on Gender and ICT, gender mainstreaming, integration of gender into strategic planning, gender responsive budgeting, protocols and etiquette. There was a consensus among local authorities’ representatives that capacity development is key in the improving service delivery and promoting gender sensitive local authority planning.
The researchers pointed out that 36% of the respondents demonstrated knowledge of gender mainstreaming and gender equality and indicated that they had received trainings as opposed to 64 % that had not received training and had no knowledge of any gender protocols.
During the meeting, it emerged that there are some statutory instruments that are barriers to local authorities’ promotion of gender sensitivity and delivery of services.
Some recommendations that were made during the validation engagement include:
• The need for local government to promote the inclusion of women in key decision-making positions through increasing the number of female CEOs among local authorities.
• Local authorities should consider conducting an all women gender budget consultation meeting that will ensure that their priorities are raised and acted upon.
• Umzingwane Rural District Council (URDC) should operationalize their Gender Policy through conducting a series of trainings that will ensure that gender sensitivity can be prioritized at organizational level.
• Local authorities suggested that gender equality should be mainstreamed within the political party spectrum.
• Community based participation should be a fundamental element in the annual Council budget cycle.