Hon. Miria Matembe and Jolly Kyomugasho Mugisha lobby the Mayor of Mbarara District
Council to include women when filling administrative positions - cont.
Jolly Mugisha: "How many women are employed in your top most jobs in your council, in your administration?"
Mayor: "Here, none. In health and education they are there. But women were a bit reluctant to join administration. There are very few applying for top jobs in the municipalities. But since you have started, you should be grateful really, you are working very hard towards that end. You have many people who are learned, and they will participate."
Hon. Matembe: "You must have a body where if there are 5 members, two should be women, or at least one.
When you are doing your appointments you say, "But where are the women here? If you find women are not there, you can advertise again and say, "Look here, women, you can also apply."
"I want to know how you put your adverts. We have said we should use a gender neutral language. If it says "He must..." , "He must...," "Do you put stroke / She in your adverts? That is what you are supposed to do. You say, He / stroke / She (as in he/she)." And so women say, "So we are also wanted there." Otherwise they will think that these jobs belong to men.
Mayor: "You are very correct. But make sure, these things will change automatically because you have been in the system for the last 15 years. You have done wonders. Yes, you have done wonders."
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