National consultative conference underway in Lilongwe

Ministry of Local government has organised a national consultative conference on local governance which is underway in Lilongwe.

According to press release issued by the ministry of local government, it has observed that local government act does not have specific provisions to ensure equitable gender representation in councils.

The statement said the need to promote local governance issues in order to help councillors both women and men on local governance affairs.

It further said the national decentralization policy which was enacted in 1998 was aimed at promoting popular participation in decision making as well s transparency and accountability in local governance and development affairs.

Among the objectives of the conference was to interrogate the local government act and decentralisation policy in view of the 2010 amendments and to agree on the way forward with regard to decentralization and local governance in Malawi.