The
SADC Ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs are concerned about the high rate
of gender-based violence in the region
The
Southern African Development Community's (SADC) Ministers Responsible for
Gender and Women's Affairs have voiced worry over the high prevalence of
gender-based violence (GBV) in the region and asked Member States to implement
effective and long-term GBV prevention programmes.
This
arose out of the Ministers' meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi, on June 10, 2022, to
assess progress on gender and development programming in the region, as well as
the amended SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
As
part of the regional integration agenda's efforts to achieve gender equality
and promote peace and security, the Ministers urged Member States to strengthen
GBV data collecting and execute the SADC Regional Strategy and Framework of
Action for Addressing GBV.
They
approved the 2022 SADC Gender and Development Monitor on Women in Politics and
Decision-making, with a focus on Articles 5, 12, and 13 of the Protocol on
Representation, Participation, and Special Measures, which aim to attain gender
parity in political and decision-making roles.
The
Ministers also agreed to extend the SADC Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security
from 2022 to 2030 in order to help implement UN Security Council Resolution
1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, which addresses the impact of conflict on
women and emphasises the importance of women's full and equal participation in
conflict resolution, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and
post-conflict reconstruction.
Ministers
evaluated progress on the SADC Industrialisation and Women's Economic
Empowerment Project as part of implementing the SADC Regional Multi-dimensional
Women Economic Empowerment Programme (RMD-WEEP) 2020-2030. (IWEE Project). The
goal of this project is to improve the participation of women-owned enterprises
and female entrepreneurs in value addition for specific sectors and regional
value chains (RVCs).
The
Revised Gender Mainstreaming Resource Kit, which promotes gender mainstreaming
in a variety of industries, was also authorised by ministers. The kit includes
ten sector-specific courses that provide practical advise on gender
mainstreaming in priority sectors for regional integration.
The
Ministers urged Member States that have not yet signed and ratified the Revised
SADC Protocol on Gender and Development to do so as soon as possible in order
to expedite the protocol's implementation. By fostering and harmonising
gender-responsive laws, policies, programmes, and initiatives, the Protocol
aspires to empower women, eliminate discrimination, and achieve gender
equality.
The
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malawi and Chairperson of the
SADC Council of Ministers, Honourable Nancy Tembo, praised the Member States
for seizing the unique opportunity to discuss policy issues and for gracing a
platform to share insights, experiences, and lessons in her opening remarks.
Gender
equality, she added, is a crucial component and contributor to the long-term
development of the SADC Member States and the Region. Hon. Tembo fought for
equal recognition and the construction of a favourable climate in which men and
women may continue to enjoy their full rights without infringement or oppression,
with equal employment opportunities, businesses, financial institutions, and
leadership representation.
In
her capacity as Chairperson of SADC Ministers Responsible for Gender and
Women's Affairs, Hon. Dr Patricia Kaliati, Minister of Gender, Community Development
and Social Welfare of the Republic of Malawi, presided over the meeting. She
emphasised the Region's commitment to fully establish a robust strategy, as
outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP
2020-2030), which will result in a significant shift in the gender agenda,
which will be woven into many SADC programmes and projects.
She
advocated for the rapid implementation of regional protocols, strategies,
policies, and programmes to support women's efforts by encouraging them to
participate in growth and progress toward a better future.
Hon.
Kaliati called for the active promotion of effective GBV prevention initiatives
as part of the regional integration agenda's efforts to achieve gender equality
and promote peace and security, and highlighted physical and social misfortunes
that befall women and girls, such as defilement, rape, HIV/AIDS, and limited
access to productive resources.
Ambassador
Joseph Nourrice, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs,
highlighted a number of tools developed in line with the RISDP 2020-2030 Gender
Equality and Development priorities, with the goal of achieving gender parity,
equality, equity, and, in particular, the empowerment of women and girls.
Ambassador
Nourrice lauded the Member States for their achievements and efforts in
mainstreaming gender equality into important policy areas and encouraged for
active promotion of the gender machinery by all institutional stakeholders in
the public, private, and voluntary sectors.
Ministers
or their representatives from 13 Member States, including Angola, Botswana, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,
Seychelles, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe,
attended the meeting both physically and virtually.