BRIEFING ON THE SADC PROTOCOL on Gender and

Development

By Emilia Muchawa

IntroductionSADC Declaration on Gender and Development 1997 states committed to placing gender on the agendaEqual representation in politics and decision making in member statesPromoting full access to resourcesRepealing all laws, amending constitutions and changing social practicesGender sensitive laws

Access to quality educationQuality reproductive and health servicesProtecting and promoting human rightsDeal with increasing levels of violence against womenMass media roleMost states signed this

Why the protocolDeclaration not legally binding so need for more legally binding instrument

Objectives of ProtocolBring all regional instruments into one legally binding documentEnhance commitments where there are gapsAddress emerging gender issuesSet realistic, measurable targets, time frames and indicators and allocate resourcesStrengthen, monitor and evaluate the progress

Create forum for the meaningful engagement of all stakeholdersDeepen regional integration, sustainable development and community building

Contents: Constitutional and legal rights

Constitutional rights- gender equality precedence over customary and religious rightsAffirmative actionDomestic legislation-access to justice, majority status,deal with harmful practices, maternity leave, paternity leave(1 month)

Equality in accessing justiceMarriage and family rightsNationality and citizenshipWidows and widowers’ rightsElderly women and menThe girl childPersons with disabilitySocially excluded groups

Contents: GovernanceRepresentation- 50% in decision making in all sectorsParticipation in electoral processes, laws, policies and strategies

Contents: Education and training

Equal access to educationChallenging gender stereotypes in educationGender based violence in educational institutionsVocational and technical trainingDistance and open learning

Productive resources and employment

Economic policies and decision making- participation, gender responsive policiesMultiple roles of womenSocial safety netsEntrepreneurshipTrade policiesAccess to property and resourcesEqual access to employment

Benefits- family friendly facilities, adequate sanitation facilitiesCommunity development policies

Gender based violenceLegal- laws prohibiting all forms of gender based violenceTesting care and treatment of all survivorsDignity and respect in the legal processRehabilitation of perpetratorsHuman trafficking gender responsive police and court handling

Eradicate harmful traditional norms that exacerbate gbvGender sensitisation programmesSexual harassmentSocially excluded groupsServicesSpecial units and training of service providers, integrated approaches and M and E

HealthQuality , appropriate and affordable health careMaternal healthSexual and reproductive health- information, services, men”s participation, older men and women, contraception, youth friendly servicesWomen in prison

HIV and AIDSPreventionTreatmentCare and support

Peace Building and Conflict Resolution

Participation in conflict resolution and peace buildingHuman rights abuses during times of armed and other conflictSafety, protection and assistanceAnti personnel landminesEducation and training

Media , information and communication

Gender equalityWomen’s voiceRole of the media in changing attitudes and mindsetsEqual participationOwnership and employmentGender in media content

Encourage ICT use for women’s empowermentResearch, monitoring advocacy and training

RemediesRecourse where rights violated by competent authoritiesImplementation at national level- human , technical and financial resourcesGender responsive budgeting

Institutional arrangementsSADC Regional Gender Machinery and National gender machineriesHeads of State or GovernmentCommittee of Ministers Responsible for Gender/Women AffairsCommittee of Senior Officials Responsible for Women’s AffairsRegional advisory ForumSADC secretariat

M and EM and E plans, systems, time frames and indicators by 2015Annual reports to be submitted on standardised reporting templateSanctions for non compliance

Recommendations for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has conducted broad based consultations- Govt depts, parliamentary women’s caucus and civil society and all sectors are in support of the protocolProtocol is not contradictory to any of the Zim laws. In fact we are more advanced than most countries in having most provisions as part of our laws and policies

Recommendations for Zimbabwe

Will deepen regional integration, shared learning and maximise resource mobilisation eg Global Funds accessing as a regionGender equity and equality will lead to MDG goals and development for the region

CONCLUSIONIt is important to support the coming into force of the Protocol