Country manager, Ms.Gomolemo Rasesigo, has implored the newly elected gender committee at the Francistown City Council (FCC) to advocate for gender mainstreaming within the council.
Speaking at a gender mainstreaming workshop recently, Ms. Rasesigo explained that according to various studies, they came up with little issues in the local councils, however she said a key finding of this study was that few practical steps had been taken to mainstream gender in government or to build the capacity of councillors to lead this process.
She noted that there was no evidence of linkages between the council management and Gender Affairs Department regarding gender mainstreaming.
Ms. Rasesigo said she believes that gender mainstreaming is one of the most effective means for the council to support promotion of gender equality at all levels in research, legislation, policy development and in activities on the ground, and to ensure that women as well as men can influence, participate in and benefit from development efforts.
She stated that there should be a continued need, however, to complement the gender mainstreaming strategy with targeted interventions to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly where there are glaring instances of persistent discrimination of women and inequality between women and men.
They Country Manager also said a recommendation from the study was adopting and popularising the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) gender protocol that is informed by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which Botswana is signatory to.
