Mphaki Council COE

Mphaki Community is a rural administrative area in the Quthing District of Lesotho, situated in mountainous terrain at an elevation of over 2,300 metres. This community is heavily dependent on subsistence farming and livestock. The region faces significant socio-economic challenges, including climate‑driven food insecurity: seasonal droughts and erratic weather have repeatedly undermined agricultural yields, pushing many households to rely on external support or migration to find livelihoods. Moreover, community initiatives, such as cottage industry training, are underway to diversify income—for example, residents have recently received training in soap and cosmetic production to help generate income from local resources. 

The Mphaki Community Council is a participant in the Gender Links Centres of Excellence (COE) for local government, a programme that promotes gender‑responsive governance. Over the years, the council has built a robust gender policy framework: its workforce is majority women (61 %), and it has institutionalised maternity and paternity leave. As part of its COE journey, Mphaki hosted capacity‑building workshops (such as the stage 4 training in August 2014) where councillors explored gender stereotypes, transformative leadership, and conflict resolution in a local government context. Through the COE process, the council has also channelled budget into gender‑focused community development, including water and sanitation committees, where women, youth, and people with disabilities actively participate.