ONLINE HOSTING BY THE SADC-PF BY ZOOM LINK

“ACHIEVING HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE SADC REGION DURING COVID-19 RECOVERY”

BACKGROUND

The SADC Parliamentary Forum, through its Human and Social Development and Special Programmes (HSDSP) Committee, has over the past years promoted human and social development by advocating for a progressive implementation of common objectives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the implementation of Social, Economic and Cultural Human Rights, and the accomplishment of regional agendas such as the AU’s Africa Agenda 2063, to cite a few.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, human and social development has faced particular strain, especially in Southern Africa where public health systems were already overstretched with difficulties in fighting HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other communicable diseases. According to the World Economic Forum Global Risk Report 2021, growing societal fragmentation is likely in 2021, due to the persistent and emerging risks to human health compounded with rising unemployment, and a broadening of the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots”. While Governments around the world shall continue to address COVID-19, there is a need to balance other competing priorities such as SRHR, the public debt as well as environmental concerns which were already at a paroxysm well before COVID-19. Heads are now turned to the post-pandemic economy and speculations are diverse concerning how human and social development, including SRHR, will fare in a world that is recovering from the global pandemic. At the same time, human and social development will depend heavily on the global race for COVID-19 vaccines which are so far, sparingly available to developing nations.

In November 2020, the HSDSP Committee of the Forum approved adaptive measures which were mapped on the project outcomes of the SRHR Project (2019-2023) in view of ensuring that SRHR is not left behind whilst confinement restrictions were in place in SADC Member States. Amongst others, the adaptive measures promoted the delivery of Comprehensive Sexuality Education by online schooling, ensured that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) was not overlooked during the pandemic, and above all promoted access to essential medicines despite disruptions in freight and cargo schedules from Europe and Asia.

While remaining true to its Vision as the Flag-Bearer of Democratisation and Socio-Economic Development in the SADC region, the Forum will continue to promote SRHR and more generally the culture of human rights that is quintessential to foster human and social development, notwithstanding the devastating effects of COVID-19. By and large, the international community is in agreement that the pandemic shall not become a convenient excuse for Governments to close eyes on child marriage, torture or infringements of SRHR and other human rights. Accountability, democracy through parliamentary action, and enforcement of the international Bill of Rights remain the hallmarks of human and social development in 2021.

 EVALUATING THE GAINS IN YEAR 2 OF THE SRHR PROJECT

At this juncture, it will thus be opportune for the HSDSP Committee to evaluate the gains in human and social development made under the SRHR Project (2019-2022) in Year 2 which ended in March 2021. While Year 2 of the Project has been particularly challenging due to COVID-19, national Parliaments have nonetheless found the strength to advance SRHR with respect to all the project outcomes and in accordance to the guidance given by the HSDSP Committee. In addition, parliamentary leadership around SRHR has acted as a leverage to ensure that Government is held to account in the House and in parliamentary committees during Year 2 of the Project.

Key achievements and milestones of the SRHR Project will thus be showcased to the HSDSP Committee through snapshots from the draft Narrative Annual Report that will be presented to the donor, Sweden, for Year 2. It should be highlighted that despite the COVID-19 restrictions, the Forum has been able to implement all the main regional initiatives under the Project such as the holding of the Committee of Clerks/Secretaries General of Member Parliaments, the meetings of the HSDSP as well as performing a regional workshop on budget evaluation for SRHR Researchers and partners.

MONITORING OF THE SADC MODEL LAW ON CHILD MARRIAGE

Pursuant to the establishment of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee of the Forum (RPMLOC) in 2019, the initial meetings of the RPMLOC have resolved that there is a need to garner empirical data from Member States in view of assisting the Committee to monitor the domestication of the SADC Model Laws in line with its statutory mandate under the Forum’s Constitution. In this respect, there was a need to deconstruct the SADC Model Law on Child Marriage and develop a monitoring tool that could be used to assist the Forum in capturing the requisite information in collaboration with Member Parliaments.

Accordingly, a Scorecard for the SADC Model Law on Child Marriage has been developed to monitor the compliance level of SADC Member States in view of assisting SADC MPs to identify the bottlenecks in domestication, and finding the appropriate means of redress by peer learning and experience sharing. The Scorecard provides a list of straightforward questions obtained by deconstructing the SADC Model Law in relation to which Member Parliaments will report upon in collaboration with the relevant portfolio Ministries.

Pursuant to the approval of the HSDSP Committee, the Scorecard will be submitted to the RPMLOC for consideration and eventual transmission to Member Parliaments via the Secretariat.

AGENDA OF THE COMMITTEE SESSION

• The agenda of the Committee session will be as follows:
• Welcoming Remarks by the Chairperson of the HSDSP, Hon. Bertha Ndebele (Malawi);
• Credentials of Delegates and Apologies;
• Adoption of the draft Agenda;
• Consideration of Minutes of proceedings of the previous meeting of the HSDSP Committee;
• Approval of Minutes of proceedings of the previous meeting of the HSDSP Committee;
• Consideration of key features and achievements of SRHR Project (2019-2022) in Year 2;
• Consideration of the Scorecard for the SADC Model Law on Child Marriage;
• Any other Business;
• Closing remarks and vote of thanks by Chairperson

VENUE AND DATE

• The committee session will take place by online hosting of the SADC-PF over a Zoom link, from 9.30 AM to 11.45 AM CAT.

Session of the Human and Social Development and Special Programmes Committee

Online hosting by the SADC-PF

31^st May 2021

PROGRAMME  

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Concept Note Session of the SADC-PF Human and Social Development And Special Programmes Committee 31st May 2021