BY EVANS MATHANDA
The Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD) on Thursday facilitated a successful workshop aimed at increasing young women’s participation in local authorities to promote good governance.
IYWD is a vibrant young feminist organization whose approach and work is informed by the voices and experiences of young women in marginalized communities.
The workshop titled Quarterly Budget Tracking and Monitoring Indaba seeks to enhance good governance at local levels through tracking progress of budget allocations and expenditure in line with gender responsive social services delivery.
IYWD women’s group has been initiating calls for harnessing women’s voices in Mashonaland Central Province and Midlands to capacitate young women with knowledge and skills to improve social services delivery through a culture of good governance.
Speaking at the workshop IWYD team leader Glanis Changachirere said many of their project seeks to educate young women on their democratic rights to participate in politics and decision making processes which helps to alleviate current challenges in social services delivery such as health care, road infrastructure and water.
Research conducted by IWYD shows that the quality of social service delivery in Bindura, Midlands and other areas has steadily declined since the turn of the millennium following the economic decline and perpetual mismanagement of funds and inefficient governance systems. This has resulted in violation of citizen’s basic social and economic rights which is a threat to sustainable development.
IYWD workshop facilitators added that young women are the primary consumers of social services delivery as they continue to work hard to provide for their families, when social services are not easily accessible due to poor governance.
