Women in Local Government

The IULA Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government adopted in Harare in November, 1998 made a passionate appeal to national governments to, “recognise national associations of local governments as important partners in the development, promotion and support of gender equality at the local level, and in the exchange of experiences at the international and national levels”. It is true that women continue to be marginalised in local government despite appeals from central governments and women’s pressure groups. Although several reasons which militate against the participation of women have been discussed in several fora and sound resolutions made, progress has remained thin on the ground. The following impediments have also been cited: - lack of equal access to resources to achieve gender equality; the challenge of changing awareness and eliminating dirty attitudes; the increase of violence in society in particular gender violence; outright discrimination, poor support and assistance from political parties; lack of adequate legislative framework and lack of political will.

Women in Local Government Forum (WILGF)

The UCAZ 59^th Annual Conference and General meeting held in May 2000 adopted the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government and endorsed the formation of WILGF.

On 17 November 2000 women councillors and senior council administrative staff launched WILGF. Through WILGF, women will cease to be observers in the implementation of instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and the IULA Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government. WILGF will collaborate with the national machinery for gender and women movements to contribute to the social, political and economic empowerment of women in Zimbabwe.

Objectives

WILGF's objectives are:

· To create a common platform for the articulation of women’s concerns in the administrative and political sectors of urban councils.

· To create a platform for communication with women residing in urban councils and represent their interests in the councils.

· To link with the national machinery on gender, local and international women’s organizations in order to share ideas on women and local governance.

· To lobby and advocate for gender sensitive policies and practices in urban councils.

· To promote accountability, transparency and good governance by holding regular meetings with women in urban councils.

· To support strategies to increase the number of women in the political and administrative sectors of urban councils.

· To create networks with regional and international women in local government.

· To encourage young women and female students to develop an interest in urban local governance.

· To participate in strategies to reduce or eradicate violence against women.

· To promote the reduction of urban poverty through lobbying for formalized and controlled urban agriculture for women.

· To promote good relations between urban councils and women residents.

Membership to WILGF

Although WILGF is made up of women in the political and administrative sectors of urban councils, a structure to facilitate the participation of other women has been put in place. WILGF has set up a Network of Women in Urban Councils (NOWUC). Membership to NOWUC is open to individual women resident in urban areas and women’s organizations interested in urban local governance..

Activities to be undertaken

· Holding regular meetings of the Forum to review the gender-mainstreaming programme in urban councils.

· Holding meetings with women’s organizations and women residents through NOWUC.

· Participating in women’s rights awareness campaigns in urban councils through public education.

· Holding regular meetings with the national machinery for gender, women’s organizations women residents and women members of parliament to discuss women’s problems in urban local authorities.

· Lobbying and advocating for recognition of women’s roles in urban development.

· Analysing all urban councils policies to see their impact on women and men,

· Monitoring the allocation of resources in urban councils to see if there is gender sensitivity.

· Analysing the urban council's by-laws to see how they impact on women informal sector operators.

· Participating in women’s social, political and economic empowerment campaigns.

· Playing a role in the prevention of HIV/Aids.

· Advocating for the prevention of violence against women in urban areas.

· Participating in the promotion and implementation of all women’s empowerment laws.

· Promoting the participation of and support for women candidates in urban council elections.

· Participating in national, regional and international fora on gender.

· Creating a close link with women in rural district councils.

· Lobbying and advocating for a UCAZ gender policy.