Stakeholder Presentation - SADC Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political - Sep 2024.pptx

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1. SADC Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions Stakeholder Consultations Presentation

2. Introduction Despite ideals and positive developments in promoting women’s rights and gender equality, challenges to women’s full and effective participation in political and decision-making positions persist at national, regional, and global levels. Some of the persistent barriers include: Poverty and marginalisation, Negative cultural practices, Negative masculinity and patriarchy, Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including violence against women in elections, Women’s multiple roles. Violence and personal attacks on female leaders have become widespread and virulent, fuelled by the advancement of digital tools. Discrimination on the basis of age and disability is also a hindrance. Cultural norms and societal attitudes also hinder women's participation in political and decision-making positions.

3. Introduction The creation of the SADC Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions in 2009, and its revision in 2024 seeks to address some of the barriers The Framework provides guidelines to Member States and national state and non-state institutions to implement existing commitments on women’s participation in political and decision-making positions through accelerated implementation of Articles 12 and 13 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. D eveloped using a qualitative research approach. R elied on literature review, legal analysis and the triangulation of available literature through key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs) and written submissions.

4. Background and Context 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. The Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008 sought to ensure that at least 50 percent of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors were held by women. In 2008, following a Regional Workshop with Member States, National Gender Machineries and partners, SADC developed the Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions by 2015 (SADC Gender Parity Framework ) The framework’s key thrust was to encourage member states to ensure that by 2015, at least 50 percent of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors were held by women Use of affirmative action measures as provided for in Article 5 of the 2008 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.

5. Background and Context The 2009-2015 SADC Gender Parity Framework identified a number of barriers and enablers to women’s participation in political and decision-making positions, calling for elimination and adoption as appropriate. The SADC Gender and Development Monitor (2022) shows that despite these efforts women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of decision-making in the region A chieving gender parity in political and decision-making is far from being achieved. The 2022 Monitor: barriers and challenges to women’s participation in political and decision-making positions in the 2013 Monitor – which similarly tracked progress on women’s participation in political and decision-making positions – remained the same in 2022, 10 years later. Calls for better and concerted efforts towards implementation of the Gender Protocol across the region. This revised Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions is therefore a commitments towards addressing the barriers and adopting positive norms, standards and practices.

6. Background & Context Cont’d Revision of the SADC Gender Protocol in 2015 called for the revision of the Gender Parity Framework as well There have also been significant developments at the continental and regional level warranting the revision of the Gender Parity Framework to ensure that it aligns with these developments. Examples of these normative frameworks include the African Union Agenda 2063 (adopted 31 January, 2015), Sustainable Development Goals (approved September 2015) and the revised SADC Principles Governing Democratic Elections (revised 2015).

7. Nuggets of Success In 2009, when the inaugural SADC Gender Parity Framework was adopted, the four countries with the highest representation of women in Parliament were South Africa (45 percent), Mozambique (37 percent), Namibia (31 percent) and Tanzania (30 percent). By 2024, women’s representation in legislatures in these countries stood at 43% in South Africa (Down from 46.29%), 43.2% in Mozambique, 44.23% in Namibia and 38.64% in Angola Three of the four countries experienced a positive trajectory, with Namibia achieving the highest percentage increases of 13.23. Analyse the political developments in SA in 2024, and implications on women’s participation. The high levels of women’s representation in these four parliaments is attributed to the use of proportional representation (PR) as an electoral system (SADC Gender and Development Monitor, 2022).

8. Nuggets of Success Cont’d R egion has also seen women attaining positions as Speakers of Parliament and Deputy Speakers of Parliament. In 2013, there were only five women presiding officers in SADC Parliaments and in 2022 the number had increased to nine, representing more than 50 percent of Member States (SADC Gender and Development Monitor, 2022). Provisions such as Article 82 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia which provides for two Deputy Speakers of the opposite sex provide a basis for progress. Women have also been appointed to the positions of Chief Justice in Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius, South Africa and have been appointed as Attorneys-General in several Member States South Africa and Mozambique have previously had gender parity in cabinets. SA’s cabinet regressed to 44% women following the GNU cabinet of 2024.

9. FPTP Electoral System Countries that use the first past the post (FPTP) electoral system have seen the least and even negative growth in women’s representation in their parliaments over the years. In 2009 women constituted 7.94 percent of elected parliamentarians in Botswana and this stood at only 11.11 percent in 2024. In Zambia, the percentages stood at 15.2 in 2009 and 14.97 in 2024. Both countries use the FPTP electoral system, and whilst Botswana saw a slight increase, Zambia experienced a regression. The two countries were ranked in the bottom quarter by the SADC Gender and Development Monitor (2022).

10. Mixed Systems In 2009, Zimbabwe was using a FPTP system and had 15.2 percent women representation in Parliament. In 2013 after adopting a new constitution, the country adopted a Mixed Member System (MMPS) coupled with constitutional quotas. As a result, women’s representation in parliament experienced an almost 100 percent jump to 28.09 percent (both chambers combined) by 2024, when accounting for directly elected women (FPTP system) and those included in the legislature through quotas and proportional representation (PR system).

11. Key Challenges Role of political parties (Are they the weakest link?) Political funding and finances. Lack of implementation of existing positive policy, legal and constitutional provisions. Weak institutional frameworks and structures. Lack of accurate data (and reporting) in some sectors to guide evidence based decision-making .

12. Goal of the Framework These realities have informed the development of the revised framework. GOAL A Southern African Development Community where women and men enjoy the same opportunities and rights in politics and decision-making.

13. Overall Objective of the Framework To revise the 2009-2015 SADC Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision Making positions, identify and acknowledge progress made by Member States in improving gender parity and provide recommendations for accelerating progress towards gender parity in the public, private and civil society sectors in Southern Africa. To achieve this by 2035.

14. Specific Objectives of the Framework Identify and make recommendations to address all barriers and constraints, including emerging national, regional and global barriers and constraints preventing women’s full, effective, equitable and meaningful participation in political and decision-making processes. Make recommendations for establishing and strengthening the institutional frameworks and mechanisms to sustain women’s participation in political and decision-making positions. Identify and propose best practices for the formulation of policy and legislative frameworks for eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in political and decision-making processes. Identify enablers for facilitating women’s participation in political and decision-making processes and propose their adoption by Member States. Reflect on the progress made by Member States towards achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions since 2009, and propose mechanisms for strengthening implementation and accountability.

15. Guiding Principles of the Framework Recognition of the region’s demographic dividend and ensuring the inclusion and meaningful participation of young women in political and decision-making positions. Addressing the intersectional discrimination faced by women in their efforts to participate in political and decision-making positions, with a focus on facilitating participation by women with disabilities, women living in remote rural areas, indigenous women, older women and women from religious and ethnic minorities. Prioritising women in political and decision-making positions’ dignity, security and resilience through protection from physical and online gender-based violence, providing economic and social support and opportunities, access to employment and productive resources, access to education, protection from harmful practices and patriarchal attitudes, and support and shared responsibilities in reproductive duties and care for the family. Recognition of the role of Southern African women in the region’s liberation struggles and in regional peace and security as a demonstration of their leadership capabilities. Protection of women’s human rights and promotion of democracy and the rule of law as outlined in the SADC Treaty, as bases for women’s participation in political and decision-making positions.

16. Recommendations for Specific Sectors Women in Legislatures D omesticate Articles 5, 12 and 13 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, and specifically enshrine the Articles in their constitutions, and promulgate laws such as women’s empowerment and gender equality laws to support implementation. Where constitutions already provide for specific targets for women’s representation in legislatures, civil society organisations, National Human Rights Institutions and National Gender Commissions should through public interest litigation challenge the constitutionality of legislatures that are not compliant with the targets. Member states are encouraged to adopt electoral systems that support greater participation for women, coupled with constitutionally enshrined quotas. The PR system is the recommended model as it has been shown to consistently improve women’s inclusion and participation in parliaments. (Depending on the appointing authority’s will, this may also have an indirect positive impact on women’s representation in Cabinets due to the availability of a larger pool of women candidates to appoint to cabinet positions) In Member States that have or are in the process of establishing political party funding legislation and mechanisms, the laws and mechanisms should target the provision of funding to support women’s political campaigns.

17. Women in Legislatures Cont’d Member States with the Support of the SADC Secretariat should establish a reporting and peer review mechanism at Heads of State level as a way of encouraging compliance In creating the different parliamentary committees, Parliaments should ensure the establishment of committees that address women’s rights and gender equality issues at parliamentary and national levels, such as Portfolio Committees on Women and/or Gender and Multi-party Women’s Caucuses. Parliaments should create institutional gender policies to ensure gender mainstreaming in their operations. Parliaments should lead by example and cultivate a gender-sensitive environment in parliament that is free from sexism and has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and intimidation of women parliamentarians, especially during parliamentary debates. Parliament presiding officers should give opportunities to women parliamentarians to contribute during debates and question time to shore up their visibility and build their confidence and the public’s confidence in them as leaders. Parliaments should develop and implement activities aimed at enhancing the performance of current serving women parliamentarians in order to foster their retention as well as encourage female aspirants to participate in governance and decision making. (These activities may include: capacity building, community engagement meetings, profiling of developmental work and success stories in female led constituencies, parliament facilitated media appearances to enhance their visibility, dialogue meetings with stakeholders and assisting women legislators to access and utilise digital tools and technology to use in their work, including in engaging with their constituencies) Parliaments must as a matter of obligation ensure that all outputs – legislation, recommendations, debates or motions – actively work to eliminate all forms of discrimination, including those based on sex and gender.

18. Women in the Executive/Cabinet Member States that do not already have constitutional and legislated quotas for women in the executive should take actions to accelerate their inclusion and implementation. Where constitutions already provide for specific targets for women’s representation in decision-making positions, Member States must accelerate implementation of the quota systems. Civil society organisations, National Human Rights Institutions and National Gender Commissions can use public interest litigation to challenge the constitutionality of cabinets that are not compliant Appointing authorities should appoint women ministers to strategic portfolios to build public confidence in the ability and capacity of women ministers to effectively hold such positions. Appointing authorities should appoint women ministers to portfolios with an impact on social policy that affects women, children and persons with disabilities and other vulnerable and marginalised people. This ensures effective policy formulation and implementation to address the inequalities and discrimination that is often experienced by these segments of society.

19. Women in the Judiciary Member States should provide for constitutional and legislated quotas to ensure the equal representation of women in the judiciaries across different occupational levels and different levels of jurisdiction, including in the higher courts where numbers remain subdued in most of the Member States. This includes ensuring parity and representation in leadership positions such as Chief Justices, Deputy Chief Justices, Judges President and Heads of Courts Judiciaries through the Judicial Service Commissions or similar bodies should promote gender sensitive workplaces, and accommodate the family needs of women judges in the allocation of duty stations. In jurisdictions that use the nomination system as a procedure in the appointing of judges, the Judicial Service Commissions can give special nomination rights and quotas to officially recognised bodies representing women lawyers and women judges. Judicial Service Commissions are encouraged to create and strengthen mentorship platforms and initiatives for women judges, as a way of strengthening the capacity of sitting judges and encouraging other lawyers/jurists, especially the younger ones to take up positions as judges. Judicial Service Commissions are encouraged to undertake annual surveys to measure progress and provide data on women’s participation and leadership in the judiciary and ensure that policy formulation towards gender parity is guided by data and evidence. Member States and Judicial Service Commissions should ensure a transparent and merit-based approach to the appointment and promotion of judicial officers, with pro-active measures to equally attract men and women for appointment to judicial positions. (The Lilongwe Principles and Guidelines on the Selection and Appointment of Judicial Officers adopted by the Southern Africa Chief Justices Forum (SACJF) in 2018 provide a good basis for achieving gender parity and inclusion in SADC judiciaries, and can be used as a reference point).

20. Women in Local Government Member States should provide for constitutional or legislated quotas to ensure the equal representation of women in local government. (Analysis of representation levels in the region shows that PR and Mixed electoral systems without the additional special measures or quotas do not improve the level of participation of women at local government level (SADC Gender and Development Monitor, 2022), hence the need for constitutional or legislated quotas). Local Government Associations should commit organised local government to pursuing the 50/50 campaign that guarantees women 50 percent of elected leadership positions in local government and within local government administration.

21. Women in Constitutional Commissions Electoral Commissions Member States should provide for constitutional and legislated quotas to ensure the equal representation of women and men in Electoral Commissions. Where constitutions already provide for specific targets for women’s representation in Electoral Commissions, civil society organisations are encouraged to take up public interest litigation to challenge the constitutionality of those that are not compliant with the targets. As key advisory and oversight bodies on democracy and elections, once established, Electoral Commissions are encouraged to constitute Committees or working groups that co-opt external experts, including from civil society to advise on gender and inclusion and gender-sensitive approaches to their mandate implementation. This can be augmented by an internal gender technical committee composed of commissioners and staff of the commission to drive the gender agenda within their programme of work. In their annual and/or periodic reports to Parliaments and other oversight bodies as mandated by the constitutions and enabling legislation, the Electoral Commissions should have a standing section on gender equality, which must address gender equality issues within the Commission and in their mandate implementation with clear recommendations and targets for achieving parity.

22. Electoral Commissions, Cont’d Civil Society Organisations are encouraged to establish working relationships with Electoral Commissions using modalities such as memoranda of understanding so as to create platforms for strengthening the capacity of the Commissions to implement their mandates on gender equality and promoting gender parity both within and in political processes at national levels. Although Electoral Commissions have been in existence for a considerable period of time in most Member States, they continue to require support from various partners and stakeholders, including civil society. Member States should strengthen the enabling legislation for Electoral Management Bodies/Electoral Commissions so that they have a broader gender mandate to facilitate efforts towards improving women’s participation in politics and decision-making positions. The Election Management Bodies (EMBs) where appropriate are encouraged to waive or reduce registration/nomination fees for women candidates and women led political parties to remove the financial/economic barriers to women’s participation in politics.

23. Women in Constitutional Commissions Gender Commissions Member States that have not yet established gender commissions are encouraged to do so. Member States should provide for constitutional and legislated quotas to ensure the equal representation of women in Gender Commissions. Where constitutions already provide for specific targets for women’s representation in Gender Commissions, civil society organisations are encouraged to take up public interest litigation to challenge the constitutionality of those that are not compliant with the targets. As key advisory and oversight bodies on women’s rights and gender equality, once established, Gender Commissions are encouraged to constitute Committees or working groups that co-opt external experts, including from civil society to advise on women’s participation in political and decision-making positions.

24. Gender Commissions Cont’d In their annual and/or periodic reports to Parliaments and other oversight bodies as mandated by the constitutions and enabling legislation, the Gender Commissions should have a standing section on women’s participation in political and decision-making positions with a focus on both the Commissions and in their mandate implementation with clear recommendations for achieving parity. Civil Society Organisations are encouraged to create working relationships with Gender Commissions, using modalities such as memoranda of understanding so as to create platforms for strengthening the capacity of the Commissions to implement their mandates on gender equality and promoting gender parity in political and decision-making positions both within and at national levels in Member States. Capacity strengthening is particularly important given that many of the Gender Commissions are fairly new and many Member States are yet to establish them. Member States should consider strengthening the relevant laws establishing Gender Commissions so that they provide them with the necessary latitude to implement their mandates, including holding governments accountable for achieving gender parity in political and decision-making positions.

25. Women in the Private Sector Member States are encouraged to create tailored programmes to facilitate women’s entry into business, and to take up leadership positions in business entities and business associations. Private sector leaders such as company boards and executives should recognize gender parity in leadership positions as a strategic priority, requiring targeted interventions beyond routine human resources management. The establishment of gender parity policies and implementation units would be a good starting point. National Gender Commissions in partnership with industry bodies and relevant government departments (such as departments of labour, industry and commerce) should establish effective gender parity monitoring in the private sector and encourage compliance with constitutional and legal precepts on gender parity. Industry leaders should develop capacity development and training programmes aimed at facilitating and fast-tracking entry of women into senior management and decision-making positions. (This can include providing skills to qualify for employment categories traditionally dominated by men. Training on promoting gender-sensitive workplaces should also be provided to company boards and executive management to ensure gender-sensitive decision-making ).

26. Women in the Private Sector, Cont’d Industry bodies or business associations (such the Chambers of Mines, Farmers’ Associations, Chambers of Commerce/Industry etc.), are encouraged to include gender parity in decision making positions such as company boards and senior management positions as a requirement for inclusion of private entities into membership of such bodies. National stock exchanges in Southern Africa are encouraged to consider imposing levies on companies on their initial public offering (IPO) if they are not compliant with gender parity requirements in their boards and executive positions, and consider imposing continuing levies on subsequent annual listing fees if a company continues to be non-compliant. (The funds raised from these levies can be used to facilitate women’s leadership in the private sector through training programmes, development of gender policies, mentorship programmes and other initiatives for women) In their campaigns for fair labour practices, organised labour can demand gender parity in decision-making positions in the private sector and generally demand for gender equality in the workplace. Industry leaders should develop monitoring mechanisms and gather data on women’s participation in decision-making positions to help in crafting appropriate intervention mechanisms.

27. Women in Parastatals/State-owned Enterprises Member states must ensure that legislation establishing or governing SOEs and parastatals such as the Companies Act, Public Enterprises Corporate Governance Act, State Enterprises Act etc. clearly provide for gender parity in the governance of the parastatals or SOEs and provide clear guidelines on gender-sensitive appointment procedures for CEOs, Board Members, Board Chairpersons and other positions within the governance structures. Member States are encouraged to establish corporate governance or similar units responsible for monitoring the performance and compliance of SOEs/parastatals with set corporate governance laws, policies and principles and this monitoring should include compliance with gender parity in governance and management structures. Parastatal/SOE Boards should create policies to attract and retain women in the organisations at different levels and across functions, with clear gender parity targets to be met within set timeframes. Member States are encouraged through the corporate governance or similar units and in collaboration with National Gender Commissions or similar institutions to establish data bases for qualifying women to self-register their interest and availability for appointment to boards of SOEs and parastatals, and require appointing authorities to show that they consult such databases as part of the procedure of appointing board members. Industry bodies/ confederations are encouraged to work with their members to undertake annual audits and reviews of parity compliance, lobby and train members to comply and provide training and capacity development for women already working in SOEs/ parastatals to take up leadership positions.

28. Women in the Civil Service/Public Administration Member States are encouraged to use existing schools of leadership/public administration to train, capacitate and equip women in and outside of the civil service in public service management and administration in order to create a critical pool of women that are qualified to take up leadership positions in public administration. The schools of leadership/public administration can utilise training programmes/curricula endorsed by SADC Ministers responsible for gender to ensure cross learning and the adoption of best practices and standards across the region. Member States should conduct annual gender audits in the public service to assess progress towards gender parity in decision-making positions, and use the results of such audits to create targeted interventions towards achieving parity. Appointing authorities as leaders of government should lead by example and make deliberate efforts to appoint women to positions of leadership in the public service. Where constitutions already provide for specific targets for women’s representation in public administration, civil society organisations, National Human Rights Institutions and National Gender Commissions can through public interest litigation challenge lack of parity in national public administrations.

29. Women in Civil Society The Southern African Council of Non-Governmental Organisations ( SAf -CNGO) is encouraged to develop a model gender policy that encompasses inclusion of women in NGOs and encourage its adoption by national NGO umbrella bodies and individual regional and national NGOs. SAf -CNGO is encouraged to compile and publish data on women’s participation in CSOs to facilitate data led policy and decision-making as such data is currently very scarce. All CSOs, Member States, the private sector and other entities and institutions should embrace the role of men in politics, civil society, private sector, the judiciary, communities and other sectors as champions for women’s participation and inclusion in political and decision-making positions, and engage them for better outcomes. Civil society should also embrace, support and train men about their role at the family level which is crucial in ensuring that there is no family or spousal interference in women’s ambitions to take up political and other decision-making positions. Civil Society and Member States should provide mentorship, training and other forms of support to aspiring and sitting women in political and decision-making positions. SADC should create platforms for civil society engagement in its projects and programmes, and make gender parity in the leadership of CSOs a pre-requisite for participation, support and direct engagement with SADC. Member States should create enabling legislations and conducive operating environment for civil society. Difficult operating and political environments are unlikely to attract women to take up leadership and decision-making positions in civil society.

30. Women in Traditional Leadership Member States should ensure that constitutions and laws on traditional leadership specifically provide that the equality and non-discrimination clauses provided therein equally apply to traditional leadership positions. This is in line with Article 4 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. When interpreting customary laws on succession, courts are encouraged to gauge their legality against the constitutions, and where constitutional provisions are weak, use international human rights principles and standards to ensure progressive outcomes for women’s rights and gender equality. Member states are encouraged to ensure that where traditional leaders have a specific quota or role in parliaments (such as in senates or houses of traditional leaders), there is a specific quota that is allocated for women traditional leaders. Given the entrenched patriarchal, misogynistic and discriminatory practices associated with traditional leadership, Member States should provide education and awareness amongst both traditional leaders and communities about the need to include women as leaders, accompanied by effective constitutional and human rights education on gender equality, women’s and girls’ rights. In their advisory roles in the formulation of legislation, traditional leaders sitting in parliaments should deliberately provide advice on how customary laws can be used in a positive way that recognises the leadership roles of women, learning from women in the history of Southern Africa such as Queen Nzinga of Angola, who successfully discharged their roles as traditional leaders, including leading wars and resistance against colonialism. Civil Society Organisations are encouraged to undertake public interest litigation to challenge discriminatory traditional leadership succession practices.

31. Women in Media In line with the provisions of Article 29 (4) of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, Member States should create and implement policies, laws and regulations that promote parity in media ownership and leadership. Member States should ensure that Constitutions provide for parity in gender representation in media commissions. Media commissions and related regulatory bodies are encouraged to develop codes of ethics for journalists and the media that include gender bias and unjustified negative portrayal of women in political and decision-making positions as unethical behaviour that can result in sanctions. Journalism and Media Schools should provide modules on gender-sensitive reporting, and ensure gender parity in student enrolment and recruitment of staff. In an increasingly digitalised media landscape, media houses and journalists should endeavour for positive portrayal of and coverage of women in politics and decision-making positions on the social media handles of both the media houses and individual journalists. Media owners, Editors and their professional associations are encouraged to provide management training and mentorship to women in media in order to capacitate them to take up leadership positions in the media. Member States are encouraged to provide resources such as loans and grants and provide mentorship programmes to encourage women entrepreneurs to establish and own media houses. All media, and specifically state media are encouraged to consistently acknowledge Member States that are meeting, exceeding targets or generally making progress in implementing Articles 12 and 13 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and promoting women’s rights and gender equality generally.

32. Women in Academia Academic and research institutions are encouraged to conduct evidence-based research, provide gender analyses on representation and participation in political and other decision-making positions, provide recommendations on how to facilitate and improve women’s participation in leadership and the benefits of such participation. University Councils or other similar administrative authorities are encouraged to develop and implement policies or regulations to attract women as students and faculty in all areas of study, provide incentives and promote the inclusion of women as leaders across academic and administrative functions. Centres for supporting women or addressing gender issues, operated by highly qualified and trained staff should be a feature on all university and research institutions’ campuses. University Councils and leaders should eliminate SGBV and insecurity on university campuses across the region as these are amongst some of the major reasons for women’s failure to fully participate and integrate in academic communities, whether as students, lecturers, administrators or in leadership positions. Funders and providers of research grants are encouraged to include gender equality in interdisciplinary research teams as a condition for funding to ensure that both men and women academicians are given equal opportunities to participate in research across different study areas, and especially in ground-breaking research initiatives. Appointing authorities for University Councils should ensure that there is parity and inclusion, and that Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors/Principals at any institution of higher learning are always of different genders.

33. Women in Peace and Security Member States should appoint women to decision-making positions in the army, police, intelligence and other security services. Member States that have not developed NAPs on Women, Peace and Security should do so, and those that have developed them should ensure full implementation. Women-led civil society organizations are encouraged to fully participate in prevention and mediation of conflict, in negotiating and building peace, and contributing to recovery and resilience in their communities. Member States should domesticate and uphold the principles of the Regional Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security (2017), whose aim is to support the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the region. This will increase awareness and inclusion of women in peace and security initiatives at national and regional levels.

34. Women in Peace and Security Cont’d SADC and Member States are encouraged to support and provide space for women-led civil society organizations to play an effective and meaningful role in national and regional peace and security efforts. In making deployments on peacekeeping missions, SADC and Member States are encouraged to deploy more women across different roles in the missions, ensure that the missions and deployments are gender-responsive and that they are provided with gender expertise. Regional level training for women in peace and security, information sharing and documentation of good practices should be encouraged amongst Member States. Data collection and analysis, monitoring and reporting at Member State and regional levels is important in order to provide a clear understanding of women’s participation in national and regional peacekeeping and security institutions and mechanisms. National statistical bodies are encouraged to consistently collect and analyse data on women’s participation in peace and security and in the relevant institutions and mechanisms to ensure data informed and gender-sensitive policy and decision-making in this sector.

35. Additional Cross-Cutting Actions Education, Awareness, Media and Communication Provision of education, information and awareness and strengthening the role of the media, including new media in promoting the principles set out in the Framework is critical. To this end, SADC Member States and other relevant actors should consider the following aspects: Education , information and awareness raising efforts that challenge patriarchy, traditional gender roles and harmful cultural practices, and empower women are critical in improving women’s participation in political and decision-making positions. Education on women and girls’ rights and gender equality, including women’s rights to lead in various positions should be provided at an early age in schools, in institutions of higher learning and as part of continuous professional development programmes. State supported and/or legislated events such as the Annual Women’s Parliament in South Africa and the Annual National Gender Forum in Zimbabwe should be adopted, supported and instituted by all Member States as awareness raising and educational platforms and to showcase government commitment towards women’s rights and gender equality including in political and decision-making positions. (For example, the annual Women’s Parliament in South Africa is used as a mechanism by Parliament to gauge strides made towards the realisation of a cohesive, non-racial, non- sexist democratic society. Discussions on legislation, programmes, policies and budgets for women are held between women Members of Parliament and members of civil society and recommendations filtered into the oversight responsibilities of parliamentary committees .)

36. Education, Awareness, Media and Communication Cont’d Media, including new media are encouraged to promote the visibility of women decision-makers at various levels. In the era of AI and Technology, Member States are encouraged to partner with CSOs and academic institutions to provide easy to understand information to women in political and decision-making as well as members of the public on how to safely use technology and to fact-check information so as to eliminate potential harms targeting women in political and decision-making positions. Member States are encouraged to promote arts and culture and their deployment in challenging traditional gender roles, reshape established practices and question negative social norms that hinder women from assuming political and decision-making positions.

37. Legal, Policy and Institutional Reforms and Strengthening Member States are encouraged to promote regulation of political parties so that they can enforce gender parity in political party leadership and in nomination of candidates for elective positions at national, provincial and local government levels. Member States are encouraged to effect legal and constitutional reforms to provide for electoral systems that achieve greater representation for women. (According to the SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2022, the PR electoral system generally guarantees higher representation of women in parliament as seen by the results of SADC Member States, followed by Mixed Systems using special measures. The FPTP system has been seen to produce the least desirable results for women’s participation). Member States should enact laws that compel all institutions; public, private, voluntary, and state-owned to have gender parity at both decision-making and other levels of employment. This includes Non-Governmental Organisations/Civil Society Organisations/Faith-Based Organisations, schools and higher education institutions, companies/private enterprises, in addition to all government and quasi-government entities. In enacting and implementing political party/political candidates financing laws, Member States are encouraged to ensure that financial support to political parties is contingent upon meeting gender parity requirements, that political funding is extended to independent candidates, and that any other fees required for participation in politics are either waived or reduced for aspiring women candidates, or for women led political parties.

38. Legal, Policy and Institutional Reforms and Strengthening Cont’d Member States should provide strong legal protections for women against gender-based violence, both physical and online, including eliminating violence against women in politics. In particular, there is need to review current online violence/cyberbullying laws which have been overtaken by technological advancements. (Political contestations and campaigns in particular have been shown to result in physical violence against women. Cyberbullying must be criminalised and heavily sanctioned. The increasing use of artificial intelligence to create deepfakes used in the cyberbullying of women in political and decision-making positions requires an urgent response from the SADC Member States. These AI generated and highly realistic images and videos can be used to manipulate public opinions and tarnish the reputation of women contesting for public office, or those already occupying such offices. They are used to intimidate them into silence, or abandon their campaigns for political or other leadership positions. Other women coming to their defence are equally threatened with the creation of deepfakes of them, making it difficult for women to stand up, defend and support those affected). Electoral Codes of Conduct must be legislated for, and must include the prohibition of discrimination, including on the basis of gender and sex. The Codes must specifically compel all registered political parties to respect the right of women to communicate freely with parties and candidates, facilitate the full and equal participation of women in political activities, ensure the free access of women to all public political events and take all reasonable steps to ensure that women are free to engage in any political activities. Political parties should reconsider the role of women’s wings in political party structures as these have been seen to perpetuate discrimination and sidelining of women by relegating their decision-making roles to these wings as opposed to full inclusion and participation in the main structures of political parties.

39. Providing Direct Support to Women Member States must provide access to quality education for girls as the backbone for future endeavours in participating in politics and decision-making positions. Member States, civil society, educational and academic institutions should assist women to embrace the power of technology and artificial intelligence in political campaigns, to increase their visibility and potential as leaders in other decision-making positions and to amplify their work as political leaders and decision-makers. This must be balanced with training on the negative impacts of technology and digital security for women leaders, whilst educating society about the dangers and consequences of improper use of technology and AI.

40. Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability Strengthening and application of National Implementation Plans Progress Monitoring Impact Assessment IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX INCLUDED IN THE FRAMEWORK AS AN ANNEXURE

41. Implementation Matrix Six Strategic Objectives 1. Strengthen policy and legislative measures to accelerate the inclusion of women in politics and decision-making positions . 2. Ensure support for women to take up, hold, and retain political and decision-making positions. 3. Strengthen institutional frameworks to support women’s participation. 4. Monitor and ensure implementation of the Revised Framework by Member States. 5. Strengthen regional advocacy and awareness raising to promote women’s participation in politics and decision-making positions. 6. Address emerging threats to women’s leadership in politics and other decision-making positions.