Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) in partnership with Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) over a period of two days conducted a series of follow up meetings on a Devolution training that was held in March 2019. The beneficiaries of the training were a group of 30 young women from Gwanda Town and Bulawayo who were accorded the status of Devolution Champions.
The follow up meetings were held in Bulawayo and Gwanda respectively with an aim of measuring the impact of the Devolution Training that these young women had been part of. In line with the vision to build active participants in demanding and advocating for the implementation of section 264 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, Devolution Champions were equipped with the necessary skills that would enable them to establish Community Working Groups.
Devolution Champions will have the responsibility of identifying members of the community whom they feel will ensure the smooth running of the Community Working Groups.
The process of creating Community Working Groups requires Devolution Champions to craft a Terms of Reference that will act as a guiding principle. It will include the following: clear set objectives, the structure of the Community Working Group, frequency of meetings, activities lined up, and power mapping of the stakeholders to assist in the feasibility of the devolution exercise.
The objectives highlighted how these Devolution Champions would take up a representative role with the hope of facilitating the improvement of access to services within their spheres of influence. Young women also anticipate the success of implementing devolution in their Wards, following the establishment of Community Working Groups.
Source: Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD)