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‘Include women, youths in local structures’

Small Producers Development and Transporters Association (Sprodeta) says it is committed to promoting women and youths’ rights in Mzimba District through advocating for their inclusion in local development and governance structures.

The organisation has since started engaging the district’s chiefs and other local leaders in restructuring village development committees (VDCs) and village tribunals to incorporate women and youths.

Mtonga addresses the participants

In an interview after meeting Kavukula VDC in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabulabo, Sprodeta project officer Albert Mtonga said women and youths’ inclusion in VDCs and tribunals is crucial in as far as development is concerned.

“For many years now, women and youths have been left out in decision-making processes in communities. However, we want that to stop and have them included in local development structures so they can have an equal share of views,” he said.

Group village head (GVH) Thomas Nali said he accepted the need to have women and youths included in local development structures as one way of empowering them in development activities.

Kavukula VDC vice-chairperson Tereza Kaunda, however, said she and her colleagues looked forward to receiving training to contribute meaningfully in the committees.

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