Ntsupe Council COE

Nts’upe (sometimes also spelled Ntsupe) is a rural community located in the Qacha’s Nek District of Lesotho, a district characterized by its remote, mountainous terrain in the southeastern part of the country. Positioned in a region with limited infrastructure, the community faces typical challenges of rural highlands, including access to clean water, roads, and reliable energy. Recently, Nts’upe has also become a target for clean‑energy interventions: for example, the Ntlafatsa Bana programme (a joint UNICEF, EU, and Government of Lesotho initiative) includes Nts’upe Community Council in its plans to supply renewable energy systems to the most vulnerable households.

The Nts’upe Community Council, as a local government body under the Lesotho decentralised system, plays a vital role in bringing together grassroots governance, development planning, and social inclusion. The council gained distinction by participating in Gender Links’ SADC Gender Protocol Centres of Excellence (COE) process: it joined in 2014 and has since worked on gender mainstreaming in its policies and practices.  The council is made up of 29 councillors—with 16 women and 13 men—demonstrating a strong commitment to gender-balanced representation.  Through the COE process, Nts’upe Council has developed action plans to integrate gender into its budgeting, public participation processes, and local economic development, prioritizing opportunities for women, youth, and people with disabilities.