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Gender Editor
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Ignatius Chombo has urged local authorities to remain committed in institutionalising gender main-streaming in all their services and ensure women’s needs are catered for.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe SADC Gender Protocol Summit and Awards ceremony held in Harare on Wednesday, Minister Chombo said gender main-streaming have become an integral component of development at local government level, further strengthening gender responsiveness in service delivery by local authorities.
“The provision of municipal services such as water, sewer, roads, infrastructure require that the gender dimension be looked at seriously considering that women are the most hard hit in cases where such services are inadequately provided
“The drive to fully empower our women remains incomplete if their socio-economic activities are not prioritised.
“My ministry and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises are working with local authorities to ensure that an enabling environment is created by developing policies and requisite infrastructure such as vendor marts, market stalls and factory shells to make women’s endeavour a reality,” he said.
In line with the empowerment drive for women, Minister Chombo said his ministry was now administering a handbook on state-land management which now requires that all transactions with the public require the involvement of both husband and wife for married couples, to ensure that women benefit.
He also urged local government practitioners to consider gender budgeting seriously by making it a point that the timing of budget consultations are not done during odd hours when women are occupied with household chores.
“This measure will give women who constitute 52 percent of our population to have an opportunity of having their needs considered.
“You are aware that 65 percent of primary service users are women hence the need for their participation and involvement in the planning process,” said Minister Chombo.
The national summit, an annual event which is coordinated by Gender Links is aimed at showcasing best practices in gender main-streaming from local government, civil society and the media.
Outstanding participants to this annual event are awarded prizes before representing Zimbabwe at the regional summit.
Online Reporter