Country barometers, networks strengthened

Seven countries – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania have so far held reference group meetings to review the country SADC Gender Protocol Barometers to validate findings and fill in gaps. Once finalised the reports will feed into the 2012 Regional SADC Gender Protocol Barometer that will be launched ahead of the 2012 SADC Heads of State Summit in Mozambique.

Apart from reviewing the Barometer, participants filled in citizen scorecards to measure citizen’s perceptions of how their respective governments are performing against the 28 targets if the SADC Gender Protocol. Participants also signed up to the petition campaign for an Addendum to the SADC Gender Protocol on Gender and Climate Change.

Among other outcomes it is anticipated that this will result in sharpening the SADC Gender Protocol Campaign and strengthen country Alliance Networks. In Botswana the process resulted in the adoption of a strategy for a campaign to sign the SADC Gender Protocol.

In Malawi participants called on government to ensure that the country deposits their instruments of ratification. The Deputy Director in the Ministry of Gender committed that they will follow this up and take appropriate action. Civil society has already begun mobilising to ensure that the process is followed through.

A similar campaign has begun in South Africa spearheaded by the Commission on Gender Equality and the Alliance Secretariat. The Commission on Gender Equality will be submitting a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Women to call on them to hasten the process of depositing South Africa’s instruments of ratification.

The reference group meetings will continue in the month of April in the remaining SADC countries.