NGO drills women in leadership skills

Governance, Gender, Justice, Development Centre (GGJDC) has encouraged women forums in Kasungu to ensure that women get skills to enable them lead various structures in their communities.

Through a six-year Women Empowered 4 Leadership (WE4L) project, GGJDC on Thursday and Friday trained representatives from various women forums to conduct sensitisation campaigns for other women in the district.

WE4L project officer Grace Makuti said on the sidelines of the training that women are an important asset as far as the development is concerned; hence, the need to equip them with leadership skills.

She said: “There are few women in leadership despite interventions by government and non-governmental organisations [NGOs] to close the gender-gap.

“So, there is need to equip women with skills so they can compete favourably with men.”

Kasungu Municipal Council Women Forum chairperson Ivy Hausi said there are misconceptions among people that women cannot hold leadership positions.

Kasungu District Women Forum chairperson Stella Phinifolo said women are left out in committees at community level.

“So, it is important to have forums that encourage women to contest in local structures,” she said.

On his part, Kasungu District social welfare officer John Washali commended the organisation for the training.