Promoting Sustainability in Strengthening and Cascading the COE

Promoting Sustainability in Strengthening and Cascading the COE Process in Councils (Maltahohe Village Council), Namibia Presented by Mr. P. M. Boois, Ms. W. Tsowases, Ms. H. Z. Tases

Overview of COE Sustainability Strategy Ownership of the process and implementation driven by key partners and stakeholders is paramount. Skills building and transfer are also essential for sustainability. Gender mainstreaming needs to be embedded within all government structures Gender Links has prioritised the sustainability of the COE programme through strategic steps.

NEXT STEPS PROCESS Council representatives work in a groups according to their councils. Councils respond in Power. Points which are immediately computed, saved and shared with Gender Links Managers at the Summits so they can take forward the next steps. Commitments for sustainability are shared, on taking the COE process forward. The following focus areas and guiding discussion questions should inform the group discussions by council, government representatives present at the summit and Gender Links staff.

1. Strengthening the COE programmatically The COE process is conceived as a solid institutional framework for promoting gender mainstreaming. How can the COE process be enriched programmatically in the following areas?

Entrepreneurship GBV Climate Change Lobbying and advocacy for the rights of all including sexual orientation and gender identity • setting up more stalls for businesses and encouraging more women to apply and start up their businesses • Holding of workshops locally on a monthly basis. Human rights groups should • Establishment of identify all the rights of the committees that work genders. closely with the council on climate change issues. • Educating and training of women more on gender based violence. Lobbing and advocating accordingly • To facilitate farmer exchange visits across town lands for their increased mutual learning.

2. Review of Action Plans So far all the councils have completed the 10 stages of the COE process. There is need to strengthen gendered service delivery and ensure the current action plans are well implemented. What needs to be done to review action plans? In order for action plan to be reviewed the management committee of the council and councillors must accommodate, various, individual and regional efforts and approaches to identify issue that need focus. What needs to be done to ensure the council’s current action plan is implemented well? Clear goals and budgets need to be set.

3. COE Process - Quarterly backstopping meetings (e. g setting up a Gender Forum that includes Gender Focal persons and Champions) How can councils ensure they continue to be involved in activities to promote gender mainstreaming? v The council underlines the importance of promoting gender equality and gender mainstreaming at all levels, council expresses its determination to put in practice the decisions taken to promote gender equality What formal mechanisms can be agreed for partnering to support the COE process? E. g. Can established gender structures in councils form a regional forum to carry forward the work regionally and nationally? Best practices already exists as the council already work together with CACOC, NALAO, ALAN, AMICALL etc which are establish for local authorities to mainstream gender issues.

3. COE Process continued. What support do Gender Champions and Gender Focal Persons require? Working together with local governments e. g. CACOC, AMICALL and Catholic Aids Action. through training of trainers. Ø How can campaigns that councils have been engaged in now run on a sustainable basis? Determine if previous impacts are positive or negative Ø Ensure if all sustainability initiatives that are publicized are effectively implemented. How can the positive trend of councils earmarking resources for gender work be further leveraged? What continued financial assistance can be made available in support of the COE process?

4. Peer Learning and sharing What potential exits for peer learning and sharing amongst councils? Amongst Councils it is important for Councils to be able to learn from each other, use each other as resources as well as transferring skills from one council to another (Capacity Building-Staff Development) What potential exists for larger councils to mentor smaller councils? by doing uccession planning.

5. Gathering Evidence How can monitoring and evaluation be strengthened? v Through monthly reports to council, AMICALL and partners yearly conference. v Administration of score cards and other monitoring and evaluation tools can be used to measure change in immediate or long terms.