Alliance meetings held in Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia

During the month of October, Alliance networks in Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia held validation workshops of their respective 2014 Country SADC Gender Protocol Barometers. The meetings that brought together civil society, government and academics also provided a platform for further engagements on the SADC Gender Alliance proposed targets and indicators for the post-2015 agenda. During her welcome address in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TGNP) Executive Director Lilian Liundi, commended Gender Links and the Alliance for advancing a stronger post-2015 agenda and for producing annual country Barometers. Liundi highlighted the importance of the meeting as the country Barometer is a very useful lobbying tool. “The report has current data which will be used for reference by various stakeholders. I am confident that the participants of this workshop are well versed with gender issues and will be in a position to validate the report and come up with an updated and quality Gender Barometer for the country,” she said. The validation process carried out in all three countries will increase ownership of the country reports with various stakeholders, including governments, who will be writing prefaces for the reports. Day two and three of the workshops focused on sharpening the indicators and targets for post 2015 agenda.