behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the opening of
the 53rd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, New
York
2 March 2009
Chairperson,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of all the Member States of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC).
We align ourselves with the statement read by the Sudan on behalf of the
Group of 77 and China.
This year marks important milestones in relation to the 30th anniversary of
the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, and the 10 year
anniversary of the Security Council Resolution No 1325.
Chairperson,
Through our struggles for gender equality and our gains, we have generated a
better basis for our demands. SADC believes that gender equality and equity are
fundamental human rights and a prerequisite to sustainable development. It is
in this regard that all SADC Member States have signed and ratified or acceded
to the United Nations (UN). SADC Member States have continued to implement the
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and other internationally agreed
commitments related to the rights of women.
Although there are gaps and challenges that are hindering progress in
attaining full gender equality, we have been greatly honoured by the leadership
and important contributions of women in our sub-region. We also take pride in
the fact that throughout our history, women of Southern Africa have played a
pivotal role in all spheres of society that brought about independence
including national liberations and democracy to many of our countries.
It is for this reason that SADC welcomes the opportunity to participate in
the 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women under the themes "the
equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving
in the context of HIV and AIDS" and "the equal participation of women and men
in decision-making processes at all levels", including the emerging issues
particularly the financial crisis that are bound to impact negatively on the
lives of women, if the opportunity is not created nor taken advantage of to
create a kind of society that we want.
Chairperson,
Promoting equal sharing of responsibilities, including care responsibilities
between women and men is a fundamental but challenging aspect of addressing
gender equality. The unequal sharing of responsibilities in the private and
public sphere has an adverse impact on women as well as men, their families,
the economy and society as a whole. It has implications for equality of
opportunity in accessing quality health care, in education, in the labour
market and in public life, including political participation, as well as for
the quality of family life.
In our resolve to address gender issues, the SADC Heads of State signed the
SADC Protocol on Gender and Development on 17 August 2008. This instrument is
hailed as an important step towards the empowerment of women, the elimination
of discrimination and achievement of gender equality and equity aimed at
enhancing development in the region.
SADC Member States continue to work on making traditional systems and
cultural belief more responsive to this gender agenda in the region.
SADC has undertaken to review and adopt policies and enact laws which will
ensure equal access, open opportunities for women and men in trade and
entrepreneurship, employment, public procurement processes, taking into account
the contribution of women in the formal and informal sectors.
Further measures undertaken by SADC include efforts to ensure equal pay for
equal work and equal remuneration for jobs of equal value for women and men.
The eradication of occupational segregation and all forms of employment
discrimination, the protection and recognition of the economic value and
appropriate minimum remuneration of persons engaged in agricultural and
domestic work, are important elements of gender mainstreaming enshrined in the
Protocol on Gender and Development.
SADC has also undertaken to prohibit the unfair dismissal or denial of
recruitment on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity leave and to provide
protection and benefits for women and men during maternity and paternity
leave.
Chairperson,
The burden of disease; communicable â including tuberculosis (TB), HIV and
AIDS, and malaria, non-communicable diseases â e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular,
poor nutrition, injuries and accidents; have accentuated the need for care.
Care work has thus become a major source of inequality which brings to the fore
the intergenerational challenges of promoting equal sharing or responsibilities
between women and men.
SADC has undertaken to develop and implement policies and programmes which
encourage the region to emphasise on prevention, treatment, care and support as
a comprehensive approach to the burden of disease and continues to allocate
resources.
Chairperson,
The participation of women in politics and decision making is one of the
critical areas of concern in the SADC region. It has been demonstrated globally
that the under-representation of women in politics and decision making
positions has an adverse effect on national development as a whole, manifesting
in inequities in legal rights, power sharing, decision making, as well as
distribution and control of resources.
SADC has committed itself to ensuring that by 2015, at least fifty percent
of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by
women. Furthermore, we have agreed that all legislative and other measures will
be accompanied by public awareness campaigns in order to demonstrate the vital
link between equal representation and participation of women and men in
decision-making positions, democracy, good governance and citizen
participation. We shall be supportive and vigilant in monitoring progress in
this regard.
Chairperson,
Despite the ongoing challenge of poverty in the region, women continue to make
strides in economic participation.
SADC fully believes that social justice and social mobilisation can only be
achieved through critical partnerships between women and men, government, the
private sector, the non-governmental sector and civil society, and the manner
in which these partnerships are articulated.
We call upon the international community to honour its commitments to
official development assistance, debt relief and the access to markets and to
give opportunities particularly to women entrepreneurs, especially under the
current economic situation. Increased development assistance in such areas as
education, health and job creation is vital towards eliminating gender
disparities, gender discrimination, including violence against women is
important.
Chairperson,
In conclusion, it is our hope that as the 53rd Session of the Commission
deliberates on its agenda in the next two weeks it will provide effective
policy guidelines on how we can move forward in addressing the equal sharing of
responsibilities between women and men.
SADC remains committed to this process.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
2 March 2009
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
