

At the time of adoption of the SADC Gender Protocol in 2008, the Protocol did not have any provisions on gender and climate change, an oversight realised two years later in 2010. Building on the momentum of COP 17 the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance launched a petition in 2011 calling on SADC governments to adopt the principle of an Addendum or amendments to the Gender Protocol on Climate Change. The Alliance put forward a draft addendum.
By 2013 when it became apparent that the whole Protocol would be reviewed in 2015, the Alliance restrategised to ensure that sustainable development features more strongly in the actual Post -2015 SADC Gender Protocol, in line with global and continental commitments.
The Alliance has since 2012 tracked progress on gender and climate change against the proposed Addendum provisions that covered representation of women in decision -making, gender-disaggregated data collection, sustainable technology, public education and awareness and institutional, legal and policy frameworks.
In August 2014 the 34th SADC Heads of Summit held in Zimbabwe adopted the Protocol on Environment Management for Sustainable Development. This Protocol has a gender equality article.