Rutendo Chirume
Masvingo City Council (MCC) has allocatted ZW$ 2 278 125 towards a Gender Desk introduced in 2020 with the aim of promoting women equal empowerment opportunities with men and oversee all gender activities within council making it one of the few local authorities in the country with such initiatives.
Gender desk is a pivot in council which will moderate all gender activities in the province.
MCC town clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said the desk was revived during International Women’s Day commemorations held at Lees Inn hotel on March 8, and will be focusing on issues of gender main streaming.
“Gender desk is set within council to advocate on issues of gender main streaming. It seeks to give equal opportunities for both men and women with the aim to break the bias. The money will fund both internal and external individuals in council meaning it will serve workers within council and other individuals within Masvingo. MCC will be partnering with Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) to ensure successful results on this initiative,” said Eng Mukaratirwa.
Some of the objectives before the desk are to ensure that all council policies are gender sensitive, advise council on gender issues and policy, ensure gender mainstreaming of all council activities as well as supporting over 100 underprivileged girls with sanitary wear.
Gender Desk will also facilitate Sexual Harassment Policy whose objectives are to interrogate issues that lead to women abuse in workplaces across the province.
