Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Ward Councillor for Kaporo Ward which is in Karonga North constituency Councillor Misheck Mwaijengo has assured Iponga area development committee (ADC) members of his support to gender responsive budget being advocated by Justice and Peace (JP) of Karonga Diocese.
Mwaijengo made the assurance at a women empowerment program (WEP) engagement meeting JP organized for Ward Councillors and development leaders whose aim was to grill the two parties on their roles towards enhancing public expenditure trucking (PET) at the District Council.
“As an elected leader elected to work on behalf of the people, I will do all I can to help the community to enjoy a gender responsive budget more especially in schools to have desks, toilets and urinals that have an element of gender,” Mwaijengo said.
On her part, Iponga ADC member Josophine Msowoya hailed JP for organizing the meeting so that development leaders should also know their role of demanding an inclusive and gender responsive budget at the Council.
“All along we did not know that we can also be part of the budget formulation process. We did not know that we can go to the Council and demand for the district development plan (DDP) just to see if it is gender balanced,” Msowoya said.
Msowoya further said that the coming in of JP with WEP, the elected and community leaders will be able to make sure that even rivers have bridges to avoid girls crossing the river on water that makes them fold their skirts in order to avoid drenching their skirts.
JP project officer Obert Mkandawire said they have been conducting the engagement meetings in all Wards in the district in order for them to equip the newly elected Councillors with knowledge on how they can track documents for them to appreciate if each sector has factored in gender responsive budget element.
UN Women is implementing WEP project in the border district of Karonga through JP of Karonga diocese.
