local government and media coe leadership award...

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA COE LEADERSHIP AWARD CATEGORY: COE LEADERSHIP

GENDER EQUALITY BY 2015, YES WE MUST!

SADC GENDER PROTOCOL SUMMIT AND AWARDS – LEADERSHIP DATE: 22 – 24 APRIL 2013

VENUE: INDABA HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE FOURWAYS, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

YOUR LOGO

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CATEGORY: COE LEADERSHIP


YOUR LOGO

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES/DEMOGRAPHIC

In fact I wanted to disseminate our vision ,mission, objectives and goals to all the inhabitants at 24 villages. Moreover my objective was to train leaders and lady councilors to have good leadership traits and I shared to them my knowledge gain while studying my leadership studies read from Stephen covey book which are as follows:

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Habit 3: Put First Things First

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Habit 6: Synergize

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INSTITUTION

Location

The District Council of Grand Port is located in the rural area in the village of Head Office, Rose Belle. Previously the District Council of Grand Port was merged with the District Council of Savanne and it is recently on the 03 December 2012 that we have been split into two District Councils in pursuance with the new Local Government Act 2011.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mauritius-Grand_Port_District.svg

Vision of the District Council Our vision is to be a reliable local Council

ready to work with all partners and service providers in order to response more flexibly to local needs by providing undiscriminatory range of quality services to all inhabitants of the south and to contribute to the overall economic development, cultural and physical well-being of that community”

Mission of the District Council Our Mission is to ensure that The District

Council Grand Port fulfills its statutory commitments effectively and efficiently and that the area it serves becomes a better place to live in.


BEGIN THE END IN MIND

Our Core Values

Preserving and enhancing lifestyle of inhabitants of Grand Port Region Practice responsible care for our resources, assets and environment Equal access to services to all people Recognising the needs of all groups Creating opportunities for employment Commitment to integrity, honesty, impartiality and consistency in decision-making Efficiency and effectiveness Encourage creativity and quality innovative services


PROACTIVE-PUT FIRST THING FIRST- THINK WIN-WIN To meet village people’s needs and growing demands. To be on appropriate wavelength with changes in order not to be overtaken by innovations taking place in our environment and to keep pace with extended development in the rural residential areas. To be in constant contact with our customers and to have frequent exchange of views and discussions about local problems and needs in order to deliver the goods efficiently and promptly (in order to increase the Council’s efficiency and enhance the value it obtains from money it spends). To preserve good public relations which are essential for the projection of a good image to the public about the Councillors, Officers and their performance. To do so, we aim at working in close collaboration with our stakeholders such as our parent Ministry and the Ministry of Environement and National Development Unit.


WHY IS GENDER MAINSTREAMING IMPORTANT TO YOU? SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD- SYNERGISE-SHARPEN THE SAW A SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE

DISTRICT COUNCIL OF GRAND PORT was carried out after a workshop organised by Gender Links, the following was realised as regards gender issues:

The District Council cannot progress when there were gender based violence , discrimination and inequality in the society.

Women participation at District Council decision was zero.

There was a need for Women Education and Empowerment through

Networking, partnering and Council


WHAT ROLE HAVE YOU PLAYED IN CHAMPIONING GENDER WITHIN THE INSTITUTION?

Setting up of Steering Committee Creation of gender based budgeting Leading and implementation of

action plan with respect to gender issues.

Mainstreaming GENDER into day to day work

She has been involved in Advocacy on issues of gender, Women empowerment programs, sensitization programs and counselling.

E-Governance Project Coordinator


WHAT ROLE HAVE YOU PLAYED IN CHAMPIONING GENDER WITHIN THE INSTITUTION?

I have been explaining issues of gender during workshop and helps tremendously in conflict management given that I am financially and administratively involved in problem solving for the following villages: Bambous Virieux, Bananes, Beau Vallon, Bois des Amourettes, Camp Carol, Cluny, Grand Bel Air, Grand Sable, Mahebourg, Mare D'Albert, Mare Tabac, Midlands, New Grove, Nouvelle France, Old Grand Port, Petit Bel Air, Plaine Magnien, Quatre Soeurs, Riviere des Creoles, Rose Belle, St Hubert, 16ème Mille, Trois Boutiques (Union Vale), Union Park. I have influenced the Council for budgetary allocation. I am a field worker and approximately every day I am present at the villages to meet community representative to be their facilitator for problem solving. I have also taken initiative for the holding of a “mock council” whereby only woman Councillors were present to take decision for the villages in terms of budgetary allocation and project proposal implementation.


HOW IS YOUR INSTITUTION CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE 28 TARGETS OF THE SADC PROTOCOL?


PROTOCOL TARGET COUNCIL/ MEDIA ACTIONS

Articles 20-25: Gender Based Violence

I have convinced the District Councillors of Grand Port for the approval of projects gear towards public security whereby lighting facilities have been provided at the following football playgrounds : Midlands, Nouvelle France, Union Park, Plaine Magnien. I have also devised monthly and weekly programme of work for the cleaning of bareland and drains with a view to provide secure places to prevent rape, theft and violence

Articles 12: Representation Works with organisations that have safe houses such as the shelter for battered women to protect them and safeguard them from abusive spouses. MOCK COUNCIL & EDUCATION

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN SUCCESSES? I have ensured that the Gender

Action Plan is implemented at the District Council of Grand Port in areas of gender based violence through having awareness campaigns to change negative cultural practices of society.

Organisation of science week: Police community meeting.

Man as partners for woman empowerment.

Inviting the Embassy of Australia, Mrs. Sandra VEGTING, High Commissioner of Australia and Hon. Richard MARLES, Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs and Foreign Affairs

Photograph/s showing changes


changes

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN SUCCESSES Specific campaigns:

Sixteen Day Campaign at a village named 16ème Mille (Sixteen Milles) inviting the Minister of Local of Government and Outer Islands, Tourism Authority, departmental heads of Community Centres, the media and other stakeholders to discuss issues of gender.


WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN SUCCESSES?

INNOVATIVE

The creation of a gender base library at the District council of Grand –Port


WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN SUCCESSES? Innovation: Mock

Council

Decision and debates to demonstrate the capabilities of women

Establishment of respect and consideration of female voice in the decision making process


LEADERSHIP QUALITIES


HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED THE CHALLENGES?


HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED THE CHALLENGES?

I have contacted the male civic leaders such as councillors from the COE to explain issues of gender to groups of men and women at village level and the COE model has been replicated to the following villages: Petit Bel Air, Grand Bel Air, Mahebourg, Mare D’Albert, Rose Belle, Seizieme Mille, Union Park and Nouvelle France.

We have worked with the policy “Man as partners” to empower woman.

Advocacy for more women to be involved in decision making positions. E.g. Now 4 out of 5 senior staff at District Council are female.

We have been having sensitization programmes in collaboration with NGOs , National Women Entrepreneur Council, SMEDA, Police, Ministry of Health and Quality of Life communities to teach them more about gender issues.


CHANGING LIVES

Mrs. BOOJHAWON, Umawtee

Mrs. Boojhawon Umawtee is grateful to Gender Links. As Gender Links had opened her eyes on many issues during the gender

workshop. She could not tell the difference between sex and gender, and for her both meant the same thing. Gender Links made her realise that she was taking things for granted. She now realises the capabilities of women and how women are going into male dominated fields. The gender concept is important for women leaders and yet they are unaware of so many issues. It was at a Gender Links workshop that she heard about ARVs, PEP, the Needle Exchange Programme and then Methadone Programme for the first time. "How could I have known that climate change affects women more than men had it not been for Gender Links?" Boojhawon heard about the 16 days campaign against Gender Violence for the first time during GL workshop. She also said that she heard the word SADC before, without knowing what it meant, let alone the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. "What I have learnt will be shared with my community. I will organise a meeting in my house so that I can share what I have learnt from Gender Links.“ She even requested her son and nephew to cook the food and wash the dish for the first time and child caring.


CHANGING LIVES


WAY FORWARD What are the next steps?

There are some cases that need to be taken to court .

More sensitizations especially in the region of South that is Grand Port areas need to be done regarding GBV and social cultural issues

More advocacy needed for more women to be put in decision making positions.


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