Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) Gender Equality Protocol

1. Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) Gender Equality Protocol Presented By Lois Chingandu Executive Director SAfAIDS On behalf of Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance

2. The Road from a Declaration to a Protocol

3. Outline of Presentation • Brief Description of Campaign and Lobby for a SADC Gender Equality Protocol • Context • Initiative • Lessons • What Now? • Actions

4. Context Efforts to promote gender equality, equity and women’s rights in Africa has gained momentum over the past 10 years thus setting the stage for the further gains. Yet….2005 was a significant year for several reasons: • It was the 25th anniversary of SADC. • It was the tenth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. • It was the deadline set in the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development for the achievement of 30 % women in all areas of decision-making. • In September, leaders from around the world reviewed progress towards the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) five years after their adoption.

5. Initiative: Campaign for Gender Protocol • Audit • Key Findings • Key Recommendations The single greatest challenge identified in the audit is to move the SADC region from an era of commitments to an era of implementation The main recommendation arising from the audit was that: • Heads of State adopt a Protocol to Accelerate Gender Equality in SADC: This would entail elevating the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development into a Protocol, as contemplated in Article 26 of the Addendum to the Declaration on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children which makes provision for the adoption of legally binding instruments.

6. Rationale for the Protocol • The Protocol breaks new ground globally by incorporating and enhancing all existing commitments • The Protocol incorporates all existing targets and also sets realistic, achievable targets where these do not exist: • The Protocol is accompanied by an action planning framework

7. Members of the ALLIANCE • The SADC Gender Protocol Alliance comprises • Botswana Council of NGOs (BOCONGO); • Federation of African Media Women (FAMW) – • SADC; • Gender Links (GL); • Gender and Media Southern Africa Network (GEMSA); • Justice and Peace (Lesotho); • Malawi Council of Churches; • Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA); • NGO Gender Coordination Network Malawi; • SAFAIDS; • Society for Women and AIDS in Africa Zambia (SWAAZ); • Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF); • Women in Law in Southern Africa (WLSA); • Women, Land and Water Rights Southern Africa (WLWRSA); • Women in Politics Caucus Botswana; • Women’s Leadership Centre Namibia; • Young Women’s Christian Association Botswana (YWCA); • Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre (ZWRCN).

8. Key steps • 2005 Work started with the Audit done by CSOs • Findings presented in Botswana which gave birth to the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance • SADC Gender Unit fully involved and driving the process • UN systems not openly involved • Donor support was minimal but later increased • August 2005-1st attempt to have it signed at the HOS summit in Botswana- Failed HOS accepted the 50% women in decision making but silent on the protocol.

9. 1st Key Lessons learnt were: Go for the big picture HOS think narrowly about gender equality. Most think its about jobs for women Media was key to put the agenda on the map Country consultations were key

10. 2nd Step • Target the next Summit in 2006 in Zambia • Presentations at the round table meeting of gender ministers in Angola Sept 2005 to seek support for protocol. Communique that acknowledged the need to do more in gender and to accelerate any legislation that will facilitate change

11. Formation of a Regional Protocol Task Force (2 CIVIL SOCIETY, TROIKA,SADC Gender Unit and chaired by Lesotho PS for Gender and incoming SADC chair Draft template of the protocol developed Dec 2005- Regional Consultative Conference held to discuss template

12. June 2006- Meeting of Protocol experts roundtable and Task force to review Zero Draft 1 and Map out advocacy strategy SADC Legal unit joined to advice on process and language Road map developed Missed 2006 summit

13. Road Map to 2007 Zero Draft 2 Aug 2006 Draft Framework April 2006 Zero Draft 1 May 2006 Adopted and signed Aug 2007 Zero draft 3 Oct 06 2nd Draft August 2007 1st draft June 2007 Zero Draft 5 May 2007 Zero Draft 4 March 2007

14. 2nd lesson was the involvement of the legal unit was key to help us understand how things work in SADC Led us to become more real about process and to do it right July 2006 Regional Protocol Campaign writing and IT skills workshop by Genderlinks

15. National Consultations began to review Zero Draft 1-Zero Draft 2 Regional Seminar Officials for Gender and Justice Ministries –reviewed Zero draft 2-3 Ministers of Gender and Senior Officials reviewed Zero draft 3-4 Ministers of Justice and senior officials reviewed Zero draft 4-5 Integrated Council of Ministers reviewed Zero daft 5 which became the First Draft Council of Ministers reviewed first and second draft to Head of States Summit.

16. August 2007- Protocol Rejected at the Zambia Summit. Outcry from Civil Society Draft watered down Back to the drawing board Developed the Livingstone Draft with 19 section instead of the 14 recommended

17. Fresh Lobbying in country and at regional level focused on the 8 areas dropped in Zambia through the same road map again 2008 HOS in South Africa- After 7 drafts and three years of lobbying the protocol was signed although still opposed and Botswana and Mauritius

18. 3rd Lessons Policy Change Takes Time and Requires Long-term support Partnerships are Key: Between Civil Society and Government at National and Regional level. Staying Focused Civil Society Leadership is key

19. Challenges • SADC countries are not necessarily at the same level of understanding of gender • Country priorities and sensitivities, cultures differ • The many levels of reviews does not necessarily make the document better-new people, new thinking • Areas of contention in Zambia (terminology can derail and water down a good document)

20. What Now? • The adoption of the Protocol in August 2008, marks the beginning of the most critical processes, namely ratification, implementation and monitoring. • The Alliance has identified at least 5 actions that need to take place in the next three years

21. Role of Civil Society in the implementation process 1.To mobilise for the ratification of the Protocol • According to the legal requirement, a Protocol shall come into force upon ratification by a two thirds majority of SADC Member States. Only then can it enforceable and Member states shall have a legal obligation to comply with the commitments as set out.

22. Action Alliance members immediately engage with relevant stakeholders in particular the governments in country, to ensure that the ratification occurs in record time, in order that implementation effectively begins. Alliance members would have to lobby and advocate in country, including political engagement with relevant ministries with a view to pushing for ratification of the Protocol.

23. 2.Raise awareness on the content of the Protocol at national and regional levels Use various media and other forums to raise awareness on the content of the Protocol. i.e news supplements, opinions and commentaries for various media, as well as information brochures and posters.

24. 3. Strengthen meaningful coordination of the Protocol campaign • Meaningful coordination of Alliance work, is essential if momentum is to be sustained, remain systematic and make an impact. Create in country Clusters • supported by expert advisors, these clusters will form powerful voices to make input and lobby at relevant processes, whilst serving as a reference point on the specific thematic issue for the rest of the Alliance members. • Specifically the clusters shall play a key role in tracking and monitoring compliance with the Protocol by SADC governments, and supporting country processes in terms of monitoring and tracking, as well as technical input into monitoring work at country level.

25. 4. Develop indicators and evaluate progress towards achieving targets and benchmarks in the Protocol • develop indicators for measuring progress in all areas of concern as outlined in the protocol at country level • Alliance members are to take a lead role in monitoring progress towards compliance with the commitments in the Protocol. Through the production of parallel reports documenting progress, and based on a clear set of indicators. • Produce annual reports in all 14 SADC countries, beginning 2009.

26. 5.Develop the skills set of Alliance members to apply for a successful campaign • Enhancing the knowledge and skills set of Alliance members to leverage the Protocol in their work • Use every strategy review/planning meeting as a training ground for members.

27. 6.Document and evaluate the campaign • The Alliance experience of working on the development, adoption and implementation of the Protocol provides a good case study for reference and learning by other networks

28. Produce an audit of progress achieved in 2010. This will be five years after the first audit conducted by NGOs in 2005 that is the baseline

29. Conclusion • More attention need to be paid to countries that were in opposition • Do not loose sight of the processes and strategies we used in the lobbying • The role of the SADC Gender Unit will remain key • Do not over individualize the countries

30. Thank You