Women's Participation in Local Government

About this grant

This grant will enable the Commission on Gender Equality to analyze women’s representation and participation in local government, particularly in holding government accountable to the legislation and policies intended to promote gender equality at the local level. The commission was established in terms of the Constitution to promote and protect gender equality at all levels of society in South Africa.Multiyear funding will support the commission’s efforts to examine the structural constraints faced by women councilors that prevent them from being effective in terms of delivering and encouraging gender equality. Activities will include holding the government accountable to the commitments it has made to promote gender equality in terms of policy, legislation and implementation; analyzing the effectiveness of gender policies and making recommendations on improvements and changes; monitoring whether service delivery and policy implementation are geared toward addressing gender imbalances; and evaluating the priorities set by local government and determining whether these address the needs of women.