The relationship between local authorities and women in Mangwe District has strengthened following a Local Governance Indaba conducted by the Community Youth Development Trust (CYDT) in early 2025, where women raised concerns about access to fair and suitable vending spaces.
The Indaba brought women and local authorities together to discuss issues affecting women’s participation in the local economy and governance. One of the key concerns raised was the availability and allocation of vending bays, with women calling for fair access to trading spaces for both women and men.
For women who depend on vending and small businesses for their livelihoods, access to a suitable trading space is not a minor issue. The location, availability and security of a vending bay can directly affect a trader’s ability to operate consistently and earn an income.
The platform gave women an opportunity to present these concerns directly to local authorities rather than having them remain individual complaints. Through the discussion, women were able to explain how limited or unequal access to vending spaces affects their businesses and to engage authorities on the need for fairer local arrangements.
The engagement also demonstrated the value of creating spaces where women can participate directly in local decision-making. Rather than treating women only as beneficiaries of economic empowerment programmes, the Indaba positioned them as community members with legitimate concerns about how public spaces and local economic opportunities are managed.
For CYDT, the engagement formed part of its work to strengthen citizen participation in local governance. By facilitating direct dialogue between communities and local authorities, the organisation created an opportunity for issues affecting women’s livelihoods to enter the local governance conversation.
The Mangwe Indaba showed that economic empowerment is also a governance issue. When women can raise concerns about the spaces and systems that affect their livelihoods, they are better positioned to participate in decisions that shape their communities.
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