SADC insists member states to sign protocol on gender, development: Official

Southern African Development Community executive secretary Stergomene Lawrence Tax on Wednesday urged member states to sign the Southern African Development Community protocol on gender and development.

Speaking at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs, Tax said out of the 16 member states, 12 countries have so far signed the protocol.

"The SADC protocol on gender and development was adopted in 2008 and amended in 2016. For the amended protocol to enter into force it was to be ratified by three quarters of member states that are parties to the protocol," said Lawrence Tax, Xinhua noted.

She said that 12 member states have so far signed the agreement amending the protocol, including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and Namibia.

"I thank and commend all the member states that have signed and ratified the amendment protocol, and encouraged those who have not yet signed to do so," Tax added.

The protocol on gender and development's main objectives are among others to provide for the empowerment of women, to eliminate discrimination and to achieve gender equality and equity through the development and implementation of gender-responsive legislation, policies, program and projects.

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