CSW59: Strengthening and being strengthened by the SDGs

New York, 11 March: Last night, under the theme voice, choice and control, Gender links and the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance hosted a side event at CSW 59 called “Strengthening and being strengthened by the sustainable development goals.” Key note speaker, Gender Links CEO- Colleen Lowe Morna explained how the work of the SADC region in advancing gender equality, can be both emulated in and strengthened by the post 2015 development agenda.

SADC is the only region in the world with a legally binding omnibus instrument for achieving gender equality in the form of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. The SADC Gender Protocol (SGP) has 28 targets to be achieved by 2015, compared to the 8 targets in the MDGs specific to gender, or in which gender has been mainstreamed.

The 2014 SADC Gender Protocol Barometer that measures progress in the attainment of gender equality in the region found that using both the empirical SADC Gender and Development Index and SADC Citizen Score Card, an “ordinary people” perception score, the region is only 66 to 67% of where is needs to be by this year.

However, reviewing the targets against the agreed 17 goals and 169 indicators of the SDG’s, the Alliance found that the Protocol needs to be bolder and more specific in a number of areas. Target five of the SDG’s on gender equality goes much further than its predecessor MDG 3. The global agenda includes GBV, has a number of economic indicators (including the unwaged work of women); goes beyond numbers in women’s political participation through provisions for “effective” leadership and pushes some boundaries on reproductive health and rights.

Watch a report on the session here.

This vodcast is part of the Gender Links News Service special coverage of CSW59 currently underway at the UN headquarters in New York, bringing you fresh views on everyday news.