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PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Zimbabwes 10 year severe socio-economic downturn resulted in unprecedented levels of job losses, unemployment, deteriorating social services and poverty. Identified through (i) door to door poverty assessment and verification surveys by Councils community development and poverty alleviation facilitators. (ii) also from database on the disadvantaged and marginalized groups in the communities that is regularly updated with inputs from ward Councillors.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Socio-economic downturn and extreme poverty among marginalized groups.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The database indicates that 64% of Gweru City households live below the poverty line, i.e. they have limited access to employment opportunities, health care, education, transport, housing and food. The issue is important because high poverty levels result in such problems as ill health, hunger, homelessness, crime, commercial sex, alcohol and drug abuse and lawlessness. Also high poverty levels, lawlessness and other anti-social behaviour are a reflection of our inability as Councils to discharge our socio-economic welfare function as the grass-roots level of government.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The issue is important because high poverty levels result in such problems as ill health, hunger, homelessness, crime, commercial sex, alcohol and drug abuse and lawlessness.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Council is implementing a gender sensitive poverty reduction and local economic development project by:(i) identifying deserving individuals from unemployed marginalised groups namely economically active women, the youth, elderly, the physically

challenged and illness affected people.


(ii) providing them with skills, working space (small workshops), tools and

equipment for the production of goods and services.


(iii) thus creating employment , entrepreneurship and income generating opportunities so as to improve their livelihoods .

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Providing marginalised groups with skills, tools and working space for the production of goods and services.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Initial phase of resourcing and capacitation of target groups is 30 months and thereafter 3 years incubation of target groups. Thereafter, new target groups are again identified to benefit through the same process.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Key targets and those involved The key target of the project are women and other marginalised groups and the breakdown is as follows: unemployed economically active women (10)(including 4 widows) unemployed youths (6 girls and 6 boys) (including child headers) unemployed elderly people (8 men and 6 women) unemployed physically challenged (8 females and 7 males) unemployed illness affected people (7 females and 4 males)

Equal involvement Both men and women are equally involved for the other marginalised groups but economically active women have been given affirmative advantage in the project.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The key targets of the project are women, men including the physically challenged .

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Partnerships formed between Gweru City Council, Gweru District Gender Council, the Ward Development committee and the European Union are all involved.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Financial resources

135 000 was sourced as a donation from the European Union and 30 000 is being provided by Council through its gender budget.

Human and other resources A project team of 7 senior Council officials ,gender focal person, ward councillor, development committee members and target groups representatives are executing the project. In house expertise i.e. engineers, architects, artisans, supervisors, skills trainers are being provided by Council. Labour for construction of the workshops to be recruited from the local community on a gender balanced basis. Building materials and other construction tools such as picks, shovels and wheelbarrows as well as tool bank items for target groups shall be acquired by the project. 1.5 hectares of land for developing the workshops has been provided by Council.
ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Financial and other resources mobilised.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Public Meetings Project progress report back meetings for stakeholders - the primary message is that social inclusion and gender mainstreaming are key success factors in implementing local economic development and poverty reduction projects. Participants at meetings wear project regalia i.e. t-shirts, hats, umbrellas, sling bags branded with the same message.

Bill board erected at project site and project rollup banner displayed at project events are both branded with the project theme.

Theatre and arts Short dramas by target groups (punctuated by speeches, song and dance) at projects meetings also popularize the issue.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Media being used to popularise the issue.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Project team reports to Council and all stakeholders on project implementation progress on a monthly basis. Project team holds progress meetings, conducts projects site visits, identifies challenges and takes corrective measures. The Project Manager supervises implementation of the project on a daily basis, ensures that the project meets technical specifications, budget provisions, completion timelines and its overall objective.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A total of 62 individuals including women and other marginalised groups have been identified on a gender balanced scale to benefit from the project. Desired activities to be undertaken by the marginalised groups for income generation and livelihoods have been identified, (e.g, dressmaking, tailoring, hair dressing, food processing, carpentry, metal fabrication, shoe repairs and plumbing) Desired skills training has been identified , training programmes designed and skills training is in progress. Required tools and equipment have been identified and procurement is in progress. Construction of small workshops to be allocated to the individuals is in progress.

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Social inclusion and gender mainstreaming have been achieved in implementing the project. The project has been widely publicized.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The project is helping to achieve Article 15-17 on Productive resources, employment and economic empowerment.

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

(i)

Target Adopt policies and enact laws which ensure equal access, benefits and opportunities for women and men in trade and entrepreneurship, taking into account the contribution of women in the formal and informal sectors.

How the project is helping to achieve this target

This project is giving equal access, benefits and opportunities to both marginalised women and men in acquiring skills, tools and equipment for engaging in informal sector entrepreneurship.

(ii) Target

Review national trade and entrepreneurship polices, to make them gender responsive.

How the project is helping to achieve this target

Council formulated its Gender Action Plan that has gender responsive policies on entrepreneurship as demonstrated by this gender sensitive economic empowerment project.

(iii) Target

With regard to the affirmative action provisions of Article 5, introduce measures to ensure that women benefit equally from economic opportunities, including those created through public procurement processes.

How the project is helping to achieve this target

This project has given economically active women an affirmative advantage having taken consideration that they are more disadvantaged than their male counterparts when it comes to accessing economic opportunities.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Urban poverty and the marginalization of women and other disadvantaged groups is Prevalent in all cities in Zimbabwe and the SADC region as a whole. The practice is sustainable and can be replicated as long as the following basic pre conditions are prevailing.

Presence of high levels of poverty among urban communities. High demand for working space, skills training, tools and equipment for engaging into income generating activities among marginalized groups. Willingness of local government authorities and other development partners to fund and implement such projects. Capacity and commitment of local government authorities and community leaders to spearhead and mobilize their communities buy in, commitment, ownership and participation in the implementation of similar projects.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Local economic development is a key strategy for improving livelihoods of local communities for sustainable socio-economic development. Gender responsiveness and social inclusion are key success factors for implementing local economic development and poverty reduction projects within local communities.

Gender responsiveness is an integral ingredient and a solid foundation towards community ownership and sustainability of local economic development projects.
Local authorities, development partners, local community leadership and community members can forge a strong partnership for implementing initiatives for improving livelihoods of local communities and achieving sustainable socioeconomic development. Gender responsiveness contributes towards ensuring equal access, benefits and opportunities for women and men in entrepreneurship activities.

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PROJECTS: LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS, BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND OTHER MARGINALISED GROUPS IN INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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