Pretoria: As Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), South Africa has called on member states to accelerate efforts to achieve gender equality, emphasizing the urgency with less than five years remaining to meet the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The call was made during the Ordinary Meeting of SADC Ministers Responsible for Gender and Women's Affairs, where Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, urged an assessment of regional gender commitments and the challenges impeding development.
According to South African Government News Agency, Chikunga highlighted that the SADC's gender framework is grounded in the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. These frameworks oblige member states to eliminate discrimination, combat gender-based violence, and ensure equal access to justice. Chikunga urged Ministers to evaluate the implementation of these regional gender instruments and develop strategic interventions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5, focusing on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Chikunga referenced decisions made in Harare in 2025, urging member states to allocate resources to implement the Revised Strategy on Gender-Based Violence and the Framework for Achieving Gender Parity in Political and Decision-Making Positions. She noted the region's underperformance in these areas and called for governments to enhance accountability, fund gender equality initiatives adequately, remove barriers preventing women and girls from accessing justice, and bridge the gap between policy and lived experiences.
Emphasizing the fundamental role of gender equality in development, Chikunga stated that stronger protection of women's rights leads to improved food security, health outcomes, and broader economic development. She outlined three regional priorities: safeguarding women's human rights, increasing women's representation in decision-making, and ensuring adequate financing for gender-responsive initiatives.
Chikunga advocated for increased representation of women in politics, corporate leadership, trade negotiations, and peace processes, suggesting the adoption of quotas and special measures to improve gender parity. She also highlighted the importance of gender-responsive budgeting and the recognition of unpaid care work in social protection and economic planning.
Acknowledging women's economic empowerment as central to development planning, Chikunga stressed its potential to drive inclusive growth, job creation, and sustainable development across the SADC region. Highlighting South Africa's role as SADC Chair, she detailed the region's participation in international gender platforms, such as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Here, SADC reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality, enhancing access to justice, and eliminating discriminatory laws and practices.
She concluded by mentioning SADC's sponsorship of Resolution 68/1 on Women, the Girl Child, and HIV and AIDS, which aims to eliminate gender inequalities, address gender-based violence, and strengthen efforts to reduce HIV infections among women and girls.