The COE concept seeks to ensure that key councils are identified across the region and worked with very closely in their process of getting gender on their council's agenda. The approach also seeks to develop synergy in GL programme work by focusing various projects from our SADC Gender Protocol, governance, media and justice programmes in specific localities.

The councils' progress in Mozambique

Council	About the Council	Stages
Masinga	Massinga is a town in Inhambane province, and economic capital of the province. It has becoming a Municipality council on 02 of April 2008, by the municipality election of 2008 Clemente Boca has becoming the first mayor on 29 January 2009
Manhica	Manhiça is a municipality town in the Maputo Province, lying 80Kms north of Maputo City. It has about 250km² and a populations of 57 512 acording to 2007 census. It has becaming a Municipality council since 1998 and the first mayor was a woman called Laura Daniel Tamele, being succeeded by Alberto Chicuamba in 3003, re-elected in 2008
Namaacha	Namaacha is a town in southern Mozambique, lying 80 kilometers west of Maputo on the border with Swaziland. It is known for its colonial church and for its waterfall. It has becoming a Municipality council by 02 of April 2008, by the municipality election of 2008 Jorge Tinga has becoming the first mayor on 29 January 2009
Macia	Macia is a town in Bilene Macia district in Gaza province. Lying 140Kms north Maputo. It has becoming a Municipality council by 02 of April 2008, by the municipality election of 2008 Reginaldo Mariquele has becoming the first mayor on 29 January 2009
Manjacaze	Manjacaze is a town and district of the province of Gaza, Mozambique. It has 189 Km² divided in 6 neighborhoods and around 6,830 inhabitants. In 1998 the first municipality elections happens and Casimiro Mondlane was elected mayor, reelected in 2003 and succeeded by Maria Helena Langa in 2008.
Xai - Xai	Xai-Xai is located 224 kms Norwest from the capital City MaputoAccording to Census of 2007 it has 116 343 inhabitants.The first Mayor was Faquir Bay Nalagi elected in 1998, succeded by Isidro Assane in 2003 ant the by Rita Muianga in 2008
Chokwe	Chokwé is a rural town in the province of Gaza in Mozambique. It is located about 230 km north of the capital city of Maputo. It has the status of city since 1071, and it changed the name to Chokwé in 1971. 2008 was the first time a mayor was elected by the people, the first Mayor was Salomão Tsavane succeeded by Jorge Macuacua in 2003, re-elected in 2008
Chibuto	Chibuto is a city in the province of Gaza in Mozambique. It has 63 184 inhabitants according to 2007 census. The first Mayor of Chibuto Municipality council was Francisco Barage elected in 1998, succeeded by Francisco Chigongues in 2003 and then by Francisco Mandlate in 2008.
Inhambane	Inhambane is the capital city of the province with the same name. It has arouns 77,000 inhabitants The first mayor elected was Vitorino Macuvel in 1998, succedeed by Lourenco Macul in 2003 and reelected in 2008.

Stages in the process are:

Stage I: Meetings with management teams and political heads of councils
Stage II: Situational Analysis
Stage III: Council level policy and implementation workshops
Stage IV: Community mobilisation village level meetings on the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development
Stage V: Capacity building through on the job training: Modules include: Gender, elections and the media, Making IT and the media work for you, Campaigns, Communication
Stage VI: Application of skills in the running of major campaigns, e.g. 365 Days of Action to End Gender Based Violence