Roadmap to Equality, Issue 20, September 2011

Editor’s Note

Highlights
–  South Africa: SADC Gender Protocol to come into full force soon
–  Zambia: Misses the mark on 5050 target in the just ended elections
–  Regional: Alliance to step up push for implementation of the SADC Gender Protocol
–  Are the 2015 Objectives Achievable? – SADC Gender Protocol targets spark debate amongst citizens
–  Regional: SADC CNGO develops advocacy plan post 7th Civil Society Forum

International News
–  Libya: Nation will only become inclusive when women are given a say in its future

Alliance News
–  FOCISSA geared to become the FBO Alliance focal point
–  Capacity building on costing aims to strengthen implementation of the Protocol

Constitutional and Legal Rights
–  Namibia: WAD wants Electoral Act amended to ensure gender equity

Governance
–  Even President Sata fails the 5050 test as he appoints cabinet, provincial ministers
–  Zimbabwe: Women campaign for 50% women representation in parliament
–  Global: Celebrating International Day of Democracy

Economic Justice, Education and Training
–  South Africa: Finding gender in the new Economic Growth Path

Productive Resources and Employment
–  South Africa: Women demand more climate action
–  South Africa: Government courts civil society ahead of COP17
–  South Africa: Fund to help civil society participating in Cop 17

Gender-based Violence
–  South Africa: Domestic violence must be included in crime stats
–  ISS response to SAPS annual statistics release

Health, HIV and AIDS
–  Zimbabwe: Dramatic new family and parenting focus on tackling HIV & AIDS
–  Southern Africa: The terrifying epidemic of body enhancement junkies

Peace Building
–  Zimbabwe: Women urged to join commando training

Media, Information and Communications
–  Mozambique: Brewing company withdraws sexist adverts

Tracking and Ratification
–  Tracking the SADC Gender Protocol

SADC Protocol @ Work
–  Malawi: Parliamentarians advocate for care work policies

The War at Home – GBV Indicators Project  
SADC Gender Protocol 2011 Barometer  
Policy Brief: Gender, climate change and sustainable development  
Giant Footprints: GL@10

In 2004, Maathai became the first African woman to receive the coveted Nobel Peace Prize “for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” In her acceptance speech of the prize, in Oslo, Norway she said: “As the first African woman to receive this prize, I accept it on behalf of the people of Kenya and Africa, and indeed the world. I am especially mindful of women and the girl child. I hope it will encourage them to raise their voices and take more space for leadership. I know the honour also gives a deep sense of pride to our men, both old and young. As a mother, I appreciate the inspiration this brings to the youth and urge them to use it to pursue their dreams.” She indeed became a role model and inspiration to many women and men on the African continent and beyond…. Read more

Prof Wangari Maathai

Zambia: Misses the mark on 5050 target in the just ended elections
Zambia has missed the mark on achieving the 50% women in political decision making target by 2015 as only 17 (11.3%) women out of a potential 150 candidates were elected into parliament on 20 September. This places the country at number 13 down from number 11 out of 15 SADC countries when you rank countries according to women in parliament… Read more

Regional: Alliance to step up push for implementation of the SADC Gender Protocol
With 13 SADC countries having signed and nine countries ratified the SADC Gender Protocol; the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance has shifted focus to pushing for governments to fully implement the SADC Gender Protocol. This is important because once all those who have ratified deposit their instruments, the Gender Protocol will get into full force. … Read more

Are the 2015 Objectives Achievable? – SADC Gender Protocol targets spark debate amongst citizens
Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states have not progressed sufficiently in achieving the 28 progressive targets set for 2015 in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. The worrying thing is that it is now almost three years since the signing of the protocol… Read more

Regional: SADC CNGO develops advocacy plan post 7th Civil Society Forum
The SADC Council of NGOs (SADC CNGO) held a post 7th Civil Society Forum strategy meeting on 28 September in Gaborone to do a swot analysis of the event and finalise an advocacy plan with members of the steering committee. The meeting attended by members of the APEX body, interest groups and development partners who make up the steering committee came up with a strategy and action plan based on the sectors’ priority areas. … Read more

Capacity building on costing aims to strengthen implementation of the Protocol
Gender Links hosted a capacity building workshop on costing key provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development from 22 – 24 September in Johannesburg for in country barometer researchers. … Read more

Zimbabwe: Women campaign for 50% women representation in parliament
Zimbabwe women’s organisations say they will lobby for a no-vote in the referendum if the new constitution does not guarantee 50 percent representation of women in parliament. During a launch of the 5050 campaign, the Zimbabwe Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe reiterated that this should apply both to the public and private sectors … Read more

Global: Celebrating International Day of Democracy
On 15 September, the IPU, parliaments, parliamentarians and citizens around the world marked the fourth International Day of Democracy, an event that was first established by the United Nations in 2007 in its resolution A/RES/62/7…. Read more

South Africa: Government courts civil society ahead of COP17
South Africa’s government is in the process of courting civil society ahead of the 17th session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework in Climate Change to be held in Durban from 29 November to 9 December. The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation will host a consultative meeting with civil society organisations to provide an opportunity for them to contribute to the exchange of views on the future and impact of the climate regime negotiated in Durban…. Read more

South Africa: Fund to help civil society participating in Cop 17
Government will establish a Participation Fund to substantially contribute to the costs incurred by civil society and NGOs in their preparations for COP 17. … Read more

ISS response to SAPS annual statistics release
Commenting on the police statistics, Gareth Newham, head of the Crime and Justice Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, said “Crime in South Africa keeps going down, for which the police and many communities deserve some credit. But what the statistics don’t reveal is the grim reality of many serious and often hidden crimes such as domestic violence, child abuse, hate crimes and corruption… Read more

Southern Africa: The terrifying epidemic of body enhancement junkies
In the 1980’s, many African women had black patches on their cheeks due to the side effects of a popular skin lightener on the market at that time. The largest numbers of people using skin lighteners in Southern Africa are women. However, men also use the products in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Tanzania…. Read more

Countries that have not signed
Botswana, Mauritius … Read more

The Barometer will enable both state and non-state actors to track progress whether governments are on the way to meeting set targets in the Gen- der Protocol which provides a road map for achieving gender equality in the region.

The new and updated Baro- meter will focus on the articles of the Protocol namely Consti- tutional and Legal Rights; Gender and Governance; Edu- cation and Training; Economic Justice; Gender Based Violence; Health; HIV and AIDS; Peace Building and Conflict Reso- lution; and Media, Infor- mation and Communication.

It is essential that gender and women’s rights activists and governments track the impact of their work in order to measure whether or not they are making a difference. The Barometer is a tool that can be used firstly, to track progress in advancing gender equality in the region and also to hold governments in Southern Africa accountable to the commitments they have made to address inequality through their obligations to international and regional in- struments and in particular the SADC Gender Protocol.

– Angola and Zambia bring the total to eleven SADC countries that have to adopted specific legislation on domestic violence; Zambia has developed a model Anti-Gender Based Violence Act, 2011.
– The number of SADC countries with GBV legislation is set to rise to 14 with Lesotho, Seychelles and Swaziland next in line.
– Only seven SADC countries currently have specific legislation that relates to sexual offences. Only one country, South Africa, has specific provisions for Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
– Lesotho becomes the seventh SADC country after Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia to pass legislation on preventing human trafficking.
– Three churches have adopted “the Zambian Church Declaration on Gender Injustice and Gender Based Violence”.
– Local government councils beginning to develop Sixteen Day campaigns showcased at the annual Gender Justice and Local Government Summit.
– Thirteen SADC countries are at some stage of developing and or adopting a National Action Plan (NAP) to end Gender Violence. Only Angola and Madagascar have no NAPS. Four countries have draft NAPS; five have adopted NAPS; one – Mauritius – is at an advanced stage of implementation. Lesotho and Mauritius have both adopted and costed their NAPS.
–  The GBV Indicators Project is a regional research study that will provide baseline data for effectively measuring progress towards halving gender violence by 2015.
– The SADC Gender Protocol does not carry any specific provisions against GBV towards lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered and intersexed (of LGBTI). This is a growing area of concern that requires action.

–  Namibia government to train gender focal points from line ministries -3 – 7 October 2011 Okavango, Namibia: they are going to apply these skills to finalise a national gender action plan that is aligned to the Protocol

–  6th Southern Africa Social Forum on Political, Economic, and Social Crises – Lusaka:
13-15 October 2011
The main theme is Southern Africa for Actions against Political, Economic and Social Crises. Participants from the following countries are expected: Zambia (host), Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Angola and others.

–  SAFAIDS to host the North-South Annual Summit: Changing the river flow
1-3 November 2011, Harare
Sexual and reproductive health and cultural practices: A Linking, Learning and sharing platform for interrogating HIV, gender-based violence and maternal and child health interventions in southern Africa

–  Call for Participation in Young Feminist Blogathons: Share your activist story
From the role of youth in Arab Springs to slutwalks organized in the Ukraine, South Africa, and India and other creative actions organized by young women around the world, young feminists are claiming their role as central agents in instigating transformation. The Young Feminist Wire wants to know more by hearing it from young feminists themselves. If you are a young woman (under 30) active on women’s rights issues, we want to hear your story. Tell us about an organising experience that taught you something about young feminist activism or moved you in some way. What did you learn from the experience and what advice would you give to other young feminist activists outside of your region, country or context based on this experience? For more details click here.

–  Constitution building for democracy
21 – 25 November 2011 in Barcelona, Spain.
This will be hosted by Barcelona International Peace Resource Center and International IDEA.   For more details, click here.

Communities in Botswana have expressed appreciation for the village level workshops on the SADC Gender Protocol that Gender Links Botswana Satellite office continue to host…. Read more

Malawi: Locals in Southern District become climate change refugees

Over 74 households in Malawi’s southern district of Chikhwawa have become “refugees” of climate change due to flash flooding, forcing them to upsticks and move home in an attempt to survive…. Read more

Mauritius: Island nation of gives way to UN pressure to legalise abortion

The African island nation of Mauritius is on the verge of legalising abortion in an apparent response to pressure from the United Nations, according to a local media source. … Read more

Special measures may be needed to ensure more women in political office in Zambia

Where have all the women gone? Long time passing. This year alone, there will be over 30 presidential elections held around the world. Over half of these will be in Africa. … Read more