2.0 CREDENTIALS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

A quorum was formed as follows by Members:

PRESENT

ABSENT WITH APOLOGIES

SECRETARY

Ms Nomkhitha Gysman, Committee Secretary SADC-PF

OBSERVERS:

IN ATTENDANCE

3.0 WELCOME REMARKS BY THE DESIGNATED CHAIRPERSON

Guided by Rule 39(2) of the SADC-PF's Rules of Procedure, in the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the meeting designated a Member present, notably Hon Lolesia Bukwimba from Tanzania to preside over the meeting.

In her brief remarks, Hon Bukwimba welcomed and appreciated the Members present and implored them to work with her in meeting the set objectives contained in the GEWAYD progress report and short-term implementation plan. In losing, the interim chairperson recognised the presence of observers from other standing Committees and resource persons from the APHRC.

4.0 CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS ARISING

Having approved the Agenda with no amendments and adopted the Minutes of the GEWAYD Meeting held on 9^th October 2018, the Committee dealt with the matters arising as follows:

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS REQUIRED THE SADC-PF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK ADOPTED BY THE 39^TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION, AND THE YDP 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN ADOPTED BY THE 42ND PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION

4.1 The Acting Secretary General reminded GEWAD Committee that the resolution of the Executive Committee during its meeting held from the 30 ^th November to the 1^st December 2018 in Maputo, Mozambique, was that legal amendments relating to the gender advancement policy should be kept in abeyance pending the establishment of the Oversight Committee of the Forum so that gender issues are addressed in a holistic rather than piece meal manner by several different Committees.

She further reminded the Committee that the Gender Advancement Policy would entail legal amendments related to the following:

a) the establishment of a new entity called the Gender Forum which would consist of 1 male and 1 female MP from each Standing Committee of the Forum. This entity would be considered as a new organ of the Forum;

b) the amendment of the designation rules for SADC-PF MPs to ensure that Chairpersons of National Gender Caucuses form part of the GEWAYD Committee;

c) the inclusion of the Chairperson of GEWAYD as an ex-officio Member of EXCO.

4.1.1 The committee was requested to kindly recall that following the adoption of the 5-year Strategic Plan for youth development by the GEWAYD Committee, legal amendments are also required to the following effect:

a) The establishment of a Regional Youth Parliamentary Caucus consisting of youth MPs (18-35 years) of the Forum;

b) The amendment relating to the designation rules of SADC-PF MPs so that each national Parliament designates at least 1 male and 1 female MP who are within the youth age bracket (18-35 years) among their representatives at SADC-PF.

4.1.2 The Committee was requested to note that the above amendments to the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure needed to be considered carefully in view of the unforeseen consequences. For instance, if some national Parliaments do not have MPs in the youth age bracket, it would distort the principle of equitable representation of the Forum as one country will have more MPs than another. Additionally, the establishment of the Regional Youth Parliamentary Caucus (and the Gender Forum) will also have financial implications for the Forum and no consideration has been taken of this financial aspect in discussions leading to the creation of the above new entities.

4.1.3 In this perspective, GEWAD Committee was kindly requested to take note of the above situation where there is a multiplicity of organs which are in the pipeline to be established and at the same time, it appears the financial aspect and planning relating to such organs has not been comprehensively addressed.

4.1.4 In view of the above, GEWAD committee was kindly requested to consider the above and look into activities that would not entail major institutional arrangements, rather to implement advocacy related interventions among others.

a) That henceforth, the creation of a new organ or entity at the level of the Forum should come with a clear financial plan to cover the sittings and other logistics required for the new organ;

4.1.5 The Meeting considered the operational and financial implications of the institutional arrangements, and further considered that gender and youth policy may still be advanced in the interim by GEWAYD, in accordance with the approved 5-year Strategic Plan, without necessarily establishing new institutional organs. It was further noted that, the Oversight Committee of the Forum (RPMLOC) held its first meeting and was in process of adopting a holistic approach to addressing gender and youth issues from a domestication perspective in accordance with its work plan.

B. PROGRESS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2019/2020 YDP PLAN ADOPTED BY 44^TH GEWAYD MEETING

The report covered the following activities, of which some are in the pipeline:

a) Setting up the YDP Knowledge Management Unit/ Research Hub

Pertaining to the establishment of the Knowledge Management Unit of the YDP, the Committee appreciated the research project on the status of women and youth representation in political governance which is to be implemented in collaboration with German-Society-International-Cooperation (GIZ), which will culminate in the development of a website tracking progress made by each of the 14 SADC-PF Member Parliaments, appreciating the latter, the committee expressed its eagerness to see the outcomes of the project.

b) UP-COMING YDP EVENTS

1. YOUTH INDABA

In appreciating the report on the up-coming Youth Indaba, dubbed 'youth-led accountability', dealing specifically with sexual reproductive and health rights (SRHR) commitments by governments, the committee welcomed the event's schedule, e.g. scheduled to take place on the margins of the 45^th Plenary Assembly Session from 18^th - 20^th July 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia; where the first two days (18 ^th -19^th) would focus on the SADC SRHR Strategy and what role youth formations and young MPs can play to monitor its implementation; the third and last day (20^th) will be an intergenerational dialogue, where youth delegates will dialogue with SADC-PF MPs about how best to monitor the SRHR Strategy from a youth perspective; reflect on achievements, challenges of the past 25 years since the adoption of the United Nations coordinated an International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

Appreciating the above and the opportunity for MPs to engage with youth, the meeting resolved that all members of the Standing Committee on GEWAYD should attend the Intergenerational Dialogue to take place during the 3 ^rd day of the Indaba; invitations should be extended to all SADC-PF MPs; the meeting further resolved that since sexual reproductive and health rights issues know no political boundaries, invitations should be extended to Comoros and Madagascar as delegates to the Indaba.

2. CO-HOSTING THE 5^TH PSYCHOSOCIAL BI - ANNUAL FORUM WITH THE REGIONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT INITIATIVE

The committee appreciated partnerships formed by GEWAYD, e.g. YDP's invitation to co-host the 5^th Psychosocial Biannual Forum by the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative scheduled for August in Windhoek. While the initiative has no direct financial benefits to the YDP, exposure to the donor world and other possible collaborating partners was acknowledged.

C. PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF GEWA POLICY

Bearing in mind the 44^th Resolution in relation to implementation of the above, specifically institutional arrangements, not to lose focus as gender mainstreaming is one of the important tenets of development, the committee commented as follows:

a) Consider mounting a side event during the 46^th Plenary Assembly Session on GEWA Policy. The intention would be to deepen members' awareness about the GEWA Policy;

b) As a strategy to implement GEWA Policy activities, GEWAYD, together with the African Population Health and Research Centre and the Southern Africa, Research and Documentation Centre are working towards a partnership project to assess progress made by national parliaments on implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 3: Good health and well-being, 5:Gender equality, 8:Decent work and economic growth and 16 Peace justice and strong institutions.

The meeting resolved to endorse the four projects mentioned above

RECOMMENDATIONS

In view of the foregoing deliberations, the Committee made the following Resolutions to be tabled to the 45^th Plenary Assembly of the Forum for adoption;

i. Parliaments to consider recruiting and placing youth intern/volunteer at each national parliament, to provide on-the-job training and workplace exposure to youth at national level, while sustaining initiatives and projects of SADC-PF YDP;

ii. Parliaments to motivate for the 10% gender-sensitive youth (18 - 35 year old) quotas antiquated in the YDP 5-Year Strategic Plan, (of the six members, including the speaker, deployed to the SADC-PF by each national parliament after every election, two should be youth);

iii. SADC PF and Parliaments to develop a sustainability strategy, to cater for. youth development initiatives across all development Programmes; and

iv. Urge Parliaments to consider secondment of Youth Officer to support implementation of activities beyond the contract of the current secondment by Parliament of Namibia.

THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN ADVANCEMENT AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORUM HAS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:

Reaffirmed its commitment to contribute to the development of a fair and just society, where humans are not discriminated against because of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation and social standing;

6.0 CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Committee commended the good work conducted by the Secretariat, in spite of operating with a shoe string budget in implementing the agenda of women empowerment and gender equality; youth development of the Forum, and noted the progress made with respect to the matters discussed. The Committee therefore resolved to report same to the 45^th Plenary Assembly and to recommend the above Resolution for its adoption.

Mr President, I beg to move.

Ends.

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Report of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women’s Advancement And Youth Development (GEWAYD) to the SADC PF 45th Plenary Assembly Session Held in Windhoek, Namibia HOT

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