South Africa, as Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has called on member states to accelerate efforts to achieve gender equality, warning that less than five years remain to meet the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Opening the Ordinary Meeting of SADC Ministers Responsible for Gender and Women's Affairs on Friday, Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga urged Ministers to assess progress in implementing regional gender commitments while addressing the challenges that continue to hamper development.
Chikunga said SADC's gender agenda - rooted in the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development and strengthened by the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development - provides clear obligations for member states to eliminate discrimination, combat gender-based violence (GBV) and ensure equal access to justice.
She called on Ministers to evaluate implementation of regional gender instruments and develop strategic interventions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Referring to decisions taken in Harare in 2025, Chikunga urged member states to mobilise resources to implement the Revised Strategy on Gender-Based Violence and the Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions, saying the region was "not faring well" in these areas.
Governments should strengthen accountability, provide adequate funding for gender equality initiatives, remove structural barriers preventing women and girls from accessing justice, and bridge the gap between policy and the lived experiences of women and girls.
Chikunga said gender equality was fundamental to development, saying stronger protection of women's rights improves food security, health outcomes and broader economic development.
She identified three priorities for the region: protecting the full enjoyment of women's human rights, increasing women's representation at all levels of decision-making, and ensuring sufficient financing for gender-responsive programmes.
Calling for greater representation of women in politics, corporate leadership, trade negotiations and peace processes, Chikunga encouraged governments to adopt quotas and special measures to improve gender parity.
She also stressed the importance of gender-responsive budgeting and recognising unpaid care work within social protection and economic planning.
Women's economic empowerment should be central to development planning because of its potential to drive inclusive growth, job creation and sustainable development across SADC.
Highlighting South Africa's role as SADC Chair, she outlined the region's participation in international gender platforms, including the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where SADC reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality, strengthening access to justice and eliminating discriminatory laws and practices.
She also highlighted SADC's sponsorship of Resolution 68/1 on Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS, saying it seeks to eliminate gender inequalities, address gender-based violence and strengthen efforts to reduce HIV infections among women and girls. - SAnews.gov.za
