Concept Paper: The SADC Gender Protocol Summit

2015, Yes we Must! The SADC Gender Protocol @ Work

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2. Synopsis

Nearly five years have passed since the historic adoption of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development. Barely two years from now, governments will have to account for actions taken to meet the 28 targets of this unique sub-regional instrument that brings together existing global and continental commitments to gender equality. The MDG targets also have a 2015 deadline. MDG Three concerns gender equality. There is already a lively debate on the post 2015 agenda. What about the agenda until 2015?

Gender Links, the Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance, local government associations, Gender and Media (GEM) networks and media development institutions will host the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Summits to gather evidence of the SADC Gender Protocol@Work. With the strapline “yes we must“, the initiative, that has the support for the SADC Gender Unit, will also make a concerted call for increasing the momentum on implementation in the run up to 2015. Partners will convene 12 preparatory country summits in Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe in March, culminating in a regional summit in Johannesburg from 22-24 April. Entries from countries that do not have summits will be shortlisted and adjudicated directly at the regional summit.

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3. Objectives

The SADC Gender Protocol Summits and Awards aim to achieve the following at country and regional level:

• Take stock and turn up the pressure for implementation and accountability in the two
• Bring together all key stakeholders to share strategies and good practises for
• Profile and affirm the work of media and local government Gender Centres of Excellence
• Build linkages between the media and local government work on the ground as part of the broader objective of gender responsive governance and accountability, and developing a critical citizenry around the SADC Gender Protocol and the MDGs.
• Develop strategic partnerships and networking opportunities.
• Strengthen the gender movement from local to national to regional to international level.

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4. Background

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

The United Nations MDG’s aim to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. With eight goals, ranging from hal ving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV and AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015, the MDGs form a blue print agreed on by all the world’s countries and most development institutions. Goal Three is concerned with promoting gender equality and empowering women. This includes eliminating gender discrimination in different sectors.

SADC Protocol on Gender and Development

In August 2008, SADC Heads of State and Governments signed the ground-breaking SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, elevating the SADC Declaration to a more binding regional instrument. With its 28 targets, the protocol provides Southern Africa with a road map for the fulfilment of the MDGs. GL is using the gender protocol as a framework to anchor its work. The protocol has specific targets for media and local government, which include the equal representation of women and men in all areas and at all levels of decision-making. East Africa is keen on developing its regional protocol building from the Southern African experience. The SADC gender protocol therefore serves as a regional roadmap to achieving the MDGs. East and Southern Africa are bound together by the MDGs.

The Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance

Formed around the campaign for the SADC Gender Protocol in 2005, the Alliance now comprises 15 country networks and eight theme groups, as well as two interest groups (the men’s sector and Faith Based Organisations) À“ see www.sadcgenderprotocol.org. The Alliance has produced four Barometers tracking progress in the 15 countries of the region against the 28 targets of the Protocol. The alliance is in the process of strengthening country networks through identifying champions of the 28 targets of the Protocol in each country. The Alliance is also working with governments to align national gender policies and action plans to the Protocol and to cost implementation. The alliance has launched a campaign for an addendum to the Protocol on Gender and Climate Change https://www.genderlinks.org.za/page/sadc-climate-change. This topic has been mainstreamed into the media and local government COE’s.

Centres of Excellence for Gender in Local Government and the Media

A key development over the last two years is The Centers of Excellence (COE) concept for both media (media houses and media training institutions) and local government. The COE concept is a follow to the gender and local government and media research, training, advocacy, gender policy and action plans that have been taking place in SADC since 2001. The lessons learned from this early work is that the best way to effect change is to work at institutional level; demonstrate that change is possible through affirming good practice and sharing experiences at summits, and then cascading this work inspired by the dictum: “nothing succeeds like success.” In the local government work, councils develop, cost and implement action plans aligned to the 28 targets of the SADC Gender Protocol. In the media, institutions develop and implement gender policies. This includes a ten stage on-the-job training for journalists structured around the ten themes of the SADC Gender Protocol. GL has produced training manuals for the media and local government COE’s.

Currently GL is working with 141 local authorities and 119 media houses (in 13 SADC countries) that have committed to become Centres of Excellence for Gender Mainstreaming. GL is also working with 16 media training institutions on mainstreaming gender in their curriculums. During the 2011 Sixteen Day campaign, GL brought together media and local government COEs to plan and profile local government efforts to combat gender based violence. This project saw media covering the work of local government COEs and local government providing media with vital sources on gender based violence.

Gender and Media summits and awards

Since 2004, GL and partner organisations have held the regional Gender and Media (GEM) summits every two years. The first GEM summit, a collaborative effort between Gender Links and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) took place in 2004 under the banner ‘Making Every Voice count’. This summit followed the launch of the Gender and Media Baseline Study (GMBS) in 2003. It was at this summit that media partners formed the Gender and Media Southern Africa Network (GEMSA). Subsequent summits took place in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

The past four GEM summits have brought together key media stakeholders who include, media practitioners, media researchers, media trainers, students, civil society, regulators and ordinary citizens. GL has always combined the GEM summits with the GEM awards, which seek to recognise and award gender and media excellence. The GMDC, SPI and AWC have been crucial partners in the GEM summits and awards. In 2008, SPI and GL co-anchored the MAP HIV and AIDS and Gender Institutional award.

Gender justice and Local government summits and awards

The first ever Gender Justice and Local Government Summit and Awards took place in Johannesburg South Africa in 2010. Under the banner ‘365 Days of local action to end gender violence ‘ the summit and awards brought together journalists, local government authorities, municipalities, NGOs and representatives of ministries of gender and local government. After the inception summit, two regional summits followed in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, GL and local government partners broke new ground with six in-country mini summits in Botswana,Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe ahead of the regional summit. The mini-summits and regional summit featured awards on good practices in empowering women and ending gender violence. In 2012, through piloting the in-country summits, GL reached 703 people (63% women and 37% men) and attract 350 good practices on addressing GBV at the local level.

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5. Rationale

Following four Gender and Media (GEM) summits and three Gender Justice and Local Government (GJLG) summits, GL and partner organisations seek to turn up pressure for implementation and accountability leading up to 2015 by combining these efforts. The Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance that campaigned for the adoption and ratification of the Protocol has turned its focus to implementation. Comprising fifteen country focal networks, eight theme groups, and two interest groups (men’s organisations and Faith Based Organisations), the Alliance is gathering evidence of the SADC Protocol@Work. At consultative meetings in June and August 2012, media, local government and alliance partners agreed to work together to host several country and one regional summit that will show case good practice in making use of this instrument.

Creating synergies across organisations and strengthening the COE process leading up to 2015:. Bringing key stakeholders together in one summit will:

• Create synergies in the work of the SADC gender protocol programme, media, local government and gender justice work.
• Broadening participation and sharing of knowledge within each country;
• Raise the COE profiles;
• Strengthen ownership and partnerships among different stakeholders.

Increasing participation, visibility and impact: The high number of participants in the 2012 local government summits and awards is evidence of how GL and partner organisations can reach more people by decentralising the summits and giving visibility to local level initiatives. In-country summits have created visibility for the work of the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance as well as provided opportunities for fundraising in country. Different stakeholders and sponsors have come on board as well as the local media. The summits are also mutually beneficial advocacy initiatives that have opened many doors not only for GL but also for for all the participants who are able to show their work on a regional platform.

Strengthening the GEM networks and citizen participation: In-country summits ensure that voices from the coalface are able to come to a space where they can share their experiences and learn from other sector players. For the media component, this includes ordinary people, who have participated in the GL media literacy courses. Their participation is crucial in creating an active and critical citizenry that is able to hold the media and governments accountable to their commitments. The GMDC has opened its collaborative networking to gender and media networks registered in-country in Southern Africa and beyond. The 2013 summit will help strengthen these networks and breathe energy into in country efforts.

Improving the quality of work through increased competition and collaboration:
It is important to profile the work of the media and local government COEs as it shows COEs that the work they do is important and makes impact, thereby ensuring commitment from the COEs. Past awards have shown the need to canvass and market the awards at country level to attract good quality and a large number of award entries. Past local government in-country summits and awards have shown how local local initiatives can help maintain the high standard of the awards.

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6. Targets

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7. AWARD CATEGORIES AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE

This is detailed on the home page for the SADC Gender Protocol Summit in English, French and Portuguese, with forms provided under each category.

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8. KEY DATES

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9. HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION BY 15 FEBRUARY 2013

• Please write up your submission in word, making use of the guidelines provided. Please try to adhere to the length stipulated in each box. Please adhere to the editorial and photo guidelines provided.
• As far as possible all entries must be submitted online, following the link provided on the website. Please select appropriate options from the drop down menu, or cut and paste your word document into the online form.
• If you are unable to make your submission online, you may E Mail the word document and all accompanying materials to summit@genderlinks.org.za.
• If you are unable to submit online or to E Mail, please drop off at the GL office, or GL partner office, per the details in the table below.

The summit includes a special call to Faith Based Organisations to apply. Click here to learn more.

Conditions

• GL may contact you requesting additional information to strengthen applications.
• GL may contact you where the application does not fit into category it is entered into to reallocate the submission to an appropriate category.
• Please note that GL reserves the right not to make awards in any category where entries do not meet the requisite standard.
• Judges decisions are final.
  

WHERE TO DROP OFF APPLICATIONS THAT CANNOT BE SUBMITTED ONLINE

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10. AWARDS IN EACH CATEGORY

NATURE OF THE AWARDS

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11. Partners and sponsors

Key partners in this initiative include Gender Links, the SADC Gender Unit, the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance, the Gender and Media Diversity Centre (GMDC), the Sol Plaatjie Institute (SPI) for Media Management and Leadership and the Africa Woman Child and Feature Service. The Alliance is a coalition of gender country networks and theme clusters that worked for the adoption, and is now advocating the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. The GMDC is a partnership of media training institutions; media development NGOs as well as gender and media networks committed to “connecting, collecting, and collaborating.” The SPI is a media management and training institution based at Rhodes University. Key sponsors include DFID; the Netherlands government through the FLOW Fund; Sida; Diakonia; Norwegian Church Aid; NEPAD and the EU.

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12. Outputs

• A collection of exemplary alliance, local government and media and media training good practises through the presentations and awards.
• A CDROM and handbook of good practices in gender justice and gender and governance at local level
• Summit and awards pamphlets, reports etc.
• Case studies of the SADC Gender Protocol@work written up.

Outcomes

• Accelerated momentum towards the attainment of gender equality by 2015.
• Strengthened networks that are able to work together towards achieving the SADC gender protocol targets.
• Contribution to the body of knowledge around gender justice, especially in media and local government.
• Improving access to information (particularly good practice models) on gender violence and the role local authorities and media houses have played and still play in our quest to end gender violence and reach our SADC protocol targets.
• Providing stakeholders with practical tools to improve and apply the learning from the best practices within their respective contexts.

Download : Institutional application (Gender and local government)
Download : GL editorial and photo guidelines
Download : Institutional application (Media)
Download : Gender Summit concept note