TO THE MINISTERS:

 

·        Central governments must ensure that national policies should be formulated to recognize all women as equal partners in democratic government at all levels – local, municipal and national.

·        Appointment of women must be made into major political posts at all levels of government.

·        Due recognition must be given to women’s equal participation in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Beijing Platform for Action.

·        Encourage women to participate actively in the political and decision-making processes including the nomination of candidates for election, contesting for elective posts without discrimination, participating in advisory committees.

·        Support women to participate in democratic processes through commitment to capacity building and training programs on leadership, contesting for public office, public speaking, etc. 

·        Establish policies, programs and budgetary set-asides for the empowerment of women in the democratic political processes.

·        Affirmative action initiatives are an initial tool to ensure women’s political participation, which should be built upon and enhanced.

·        Target men for sensitization and training to support elected women and to advocate for policy change to support women’s representation. 

 

TO THE MAYORS:

 

·        Support networks of elected women to sustain their leadership roles through facilitation of women’s caucuses, peer exchanges, and the establishment of funds for women contesting for office. 

·        Local Government Authorities must recognize the important role of women in development at the grassroots and support agenda-setting at the grassroots level.

·        Women must be empowered to participate actively and fully in democratic governance at the local level through capacity building, participation in decision-making processes and local resource allocation.

·        Women’s associations should be strengthened to work horizontally and in partnership with local authorities and associations of local authorities.

·        Sensitization for women to the roles and responsibilities of local government and communities through civic education and partnership building initiatives such as Local-to-Local Dialogues.

·        Local Government Authorities should go into the communities and work in collaboration with community committees to set agendas and allocate funds to projects at the local level. 

 

TO THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS:

 

• Support partnership initiatives between networks of elected and grassroots women.
• Recognize women as credible and accountable local partners in the considerations of parameters for funding democratization projects at the local community levels.
• Provide aid in support of local initiatives for the economic empowerment of women to enhance their capacities as political actors.
• Respect and encourage affirmative action requirements of at least thirty percent of all elected and appointed positions of government authority be included in the preconditions for donor support for any democratization programme.
• As an outside entity brining in resources for democratic processes, donors should respect and value local culture. 

 

TO AFRICITES:

·        Establish a task force to help strengthen partnerships between local authorities and constituents through meetings and exchanges.

·        Allow for a space at the 5^th Africities which will look at the progress made in sustaining women in local office, in building partnerships between elected and grassroots women and to evaluate lessons learned.