EN

PRESENT

The virtual meeting of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI) was held on Monday, 6th July, 2020.  In attendance were the following Members who convened via Zoom:

Hon. Anele Ndebele                         (Chairperson)               Zimbabwe 

Hon. Ruth Mendes                           (Vice Chairperson)       Angola

Hon. Dumelang Saleshando                                                 Botswana

Hon. Tsepang Tsita-Mosena                                                 Lesotho

Hon. Denis Namachekecha                                                  Malawi

Hon. Jimmy Donovan                                                           Madagascar

Hon. Rosina Ntshetsana Komane               Proxy                South Africa

Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane                                       Zambia

ABSENT WITH APOLOGY

An apology from the Parliament of Eswatini was noted.

 

IN ATTENDANCE

 

Ms. Boemo Sekgoma                                        Secretary General

Mrs Edna K Zgambo                                         Committee Secretary

Mr Sheuneni Kurasha                                       Programmes Manager

Mr Rangarirai Chikova                                      Resource Person (AFRODAD) Mr Adrian Chikowore, Resource Person (AFRODAD)

Mr Misael Kateshi                                              Resource Person

 

AGENDA

On a proposal by Zambia and Seconded by Malawi, the agenda was adopted without amendments as set out below.

  • Credentials of Delegates and Apologies.
  • Adoption of the Agenda.
  • Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson of the Committee.
  • Consideration of Minutes and Matters Arising from the Minutes of the previous Meeting held from 6th to 7th July, 2020.
  • Consideration of the draft work plan for the year.
  • Consideration of the Theme Enhancing the Role of Parliament in Budgeting for Increased Budget Credibility and Public Financial Accountability in times of Pandemics and Crises.
  • Any Other Business.
  • Conclusion and Closing remarks by the Chairperson.

WELCOMING REMARKS

The Standing Committee met under the theme, ‘Enhancing the Role of Parliament in Budgeting for Increased Budget Credibility and Public Financial Accountability in times of Pandemics and Crises.’ The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI), Hon Anele Ndebele, welcomed the Members and resource persons to the meeting. The Chairperson acknowledged that by leveraging the limitless possibilities that Information Technology (IT) offered, the Forum had made it possible for Members of the Forum, wherever they were, to discharge their mandate, which included representation, law making and ensuring accountability. The Chairperson noted that the theme under consideration was timely and relevant because a defining characteristic of crises and pandemics was their unpredictability. This necessitated pre-emptive planning and budgeting to ensure robust, timely and adequate responses, ideally those that were financially supported by domestic resources.

In conclusion, Hon Ndebele invited Honourable Members to join him in congratulating His Excellency Mr Wavel Ramkalawan, a former Member of Parliament of the SADC Parliamentary Forum on his well-deserved election as President of the Republic of Seychelles.

CONSIDERATION OF THE WORKPLAN

On a proposal by Angola and Seconded by Zambia the work plan was adopted as follows:

  • Summer School organised by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD to be held on );
  • Review of the status of ratification of SADC Protocols on a date to be advised; and
  • Review of the One Stop Border Posts on a date to be advised.

CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MEETING OF THE TIFI STANDING COMMITTEE HELD ON THURSDAY, 23RD MAY 2019, PREMIER HOTEL O. R TAMBO AIRPORT, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

On a proposal by Malawi and seconded by Lesotho, the minutes of the previous meeting were adopted without amendments and the minutes were approved as a true reflection of the TIFI Standing Committee meeting which took place on Monday, 6th and Tuesday, 7th July, 2020. Further, no matters arising were raised,

Budget Credibility and factors driving low budget credibility

The Standing Committee on TIFI received and considered an expert presentation from Rangarirai Chikova a Policy Analyst for Domestic Resources Mobilisation from AFRODAD. Mr. Chikova’s presentation highlighted the important issues as outlined below.

  • Budget credibility was noted to be a fundamental objective of any developing Public Financial Management (PFM) System. It was recognised as an important component of effective institutions in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework.
  • A credibly implemented budget was one that had only small deviations from the approved one both in terms of overall expenditure and revenues and in terms of the allocation between programs.
  • Factors driving budget incredibility included: under spending which could occur when revenue collections were lower than anticipated, delays in receipt of revenues and unpredictable revenue flows. Others included ineffective procurement systems and inflexible procurement rules that made it difficult to execute and insertion of infeasible projects into the budget by legislators thereby exacerbating budget credibility
  • Regarding underspending in developing countries, on average, national budgets in aggregate were underspent by almost 10 per cent. Levels of underspending were also higher in critical sectors, such as agriculture, Education and health.
  • High reliance on mineral rents, weak tax laws, Illicit Financial Flows (IFF), large informal sector, corruption and tax holidays were noted to be the major factors related to revenue deviations. Between the year 2004 and 2013, a cumulative of USD 309 Million had been lost from the SADC Region through IFF.
  • Pandemics, crises and national disasters were unforeseen circumstances which usually resulted in governments spending more than they had planned.
  • In the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the SADC region economic growth forecast was revised from a growth of 2.3 per cent in October 2019 to a contraction of 3.4 per cent in April 2020. As a result, the fiscal deficit of the SADC region was estimated to widen to 8.9 per cent compared to the October, 2019 of 4.5 per cent, a reflection that the region spent more than what was planned.
  • Lock downs and temporary closure of companies resulted in revenue losses. IFF also rose due to the fact that countries were placing greater attention to control the spread of the pandemic and giving a blind eye to smuggling.
  • The presenter noted that prior to the Covid-19, 45 million people were estimated to be food insecure in the SADC Region as a result of climate shocks, as well as structural macro-economic factors. Covid outbreak and its debilitating impacts on livelihoods exacerbated the situation.  
  • To effectively ensure budget credibility, the TIFI Committee was informed that Honourable Members must actively engage in, among other things, Pre-budgets debates and take stock of what had worked in the previous year and devise ways to address identified challenges and see to it that parliament becomes aware of the government’s fiscal policy intentions.

The TIFI Standing Committee concluded and resolved as follows:

Following the presentation, the TIFI Committee discussed and drew the following conclusions and recommendations

  • Budgets that were not credible undermined confidence between those who provided funds (taxpayers and donors) and those entrusted to administer them in accordance with the agreed plan.
  • Ineffective procurement systems especially during pandemic and crises created room for revenue leakages and made it difficult to execute budgets as appropriated. It was the responsible of Parliaments to enhance fiscal transparency practices, such as adopting measures to report whether budgets had been executed as planned, or whether there had been deviations along with clear explanations for the reasons for deviations.
  • Forgone revenue through unnecessary tax holidays could potentially increase government revenue and reduce the burden of accruing debt to finance national budget. This called for national Parliaments to legislate on laws that curb IFFs, tax evasion, tax avoidance including eliminating harmful tax holidays.
  • National Parliaments should thoroughly scrutinise tax mining development agendas so that our governments do not continue losing revenue through clauses embedded in these agendas.
  • As a result of crises and pandemics, nations were quick to borrow from both domestic and international economies to respond to the effects brought about by crises. The increase in debts implied less resources for budget allocations to critical sectors such as education, health and agriculture because collected revenues are diverted to debt servicing.
  • Most budgets were based on unrealistic assumptions and weak frameworks. Therefore, there was need to strengthen national governments’ revenue planning and forecasting by addressing gaps in technical capacities and removing political incentives to inflate revenue projections
  • During unprecedented pandemics or crises, expenditure control mechanisms turned out to be weaker in practice, fiscal rules and procurement procedures were flouted in the process due to the perceived urgency to respond to the effects of the pandemic. In times of pandemics, parliamentary oversight must be fully exercised to ensure prudent utilisation of resources by the Executive. Further, national fiscal transparency practices must be enhanced.
  • Covid Pandemic outbreak and its debilitating impacts on livelihoods had exacerbated the livelihood situation in the SADC Region. Prior to the Covid-19, 45 million people were estimated to be food insecure in the SADC Region as a result of climate shocks, as well as structural macro-economic factors. Therefore, national governments must develop roadmaps, guiding spending towards poverty alleviating programs and effective delivery of public services and progress on sustainable development.

International Public Finance and Budget Credibility in SADC

The Standing Committee on TIFI received and considered an expert presentation from Mr Adrian Chikowore, the Policy and Research Consultant in International Public Finance at AFRODAD. Mr. Chikowore’s presentation highlighted matters as outlined below.

  • The TIFI Committee was informed that Financing for Development (FfD) was about promoting a comprehensive and integrated approach to providing the policies and resources needed to support sustainable development around the world.
  • It included the mobilisation of domestic resources (such as tax revenues), international financial resources (such as Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), remittances and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). 
  • The presenter highlighted that harnessing the role of the private sector in financing development, maximising the use of innovative financing sources and mechanisms as well as increasing trade capacity and investment to create jobs and promoting debt sustainability were also tenets of FfD.
  • Given the challenges in raising finances domestically and falling ODA and FDI, PPPs had become critical in raising resources from private sector for development interventions. As such, governments had been raising capital/financing through partnerships with private actors. However, the results had not been all positive especially recognising the fact that PPPs were seldom on the budget books of governments thereby giving a false picture on the fiscal position of governments.
  • Eight countries had dominated the blended finance/PPP deal share in the sub-Sahara region with Uganda at the top accounting for at least 34 per cent with an average deal size of $205 million per year between 2012 and 2017. DRC accounted for 11 per cent share of blended finance/PPP deals in the region with an average deal size of USD$230 million. The difference between these top 8 blended finance/PPP destinations was based upon geography, resources endowments and sectors in which finances were disbursed towards or sectors in which private sector realised profit with limited risks.

The TIFI Standing Committee concluded and resolved as follows:

Following the presentation, the TIFI Committee discussed and drew the following conclusions and recommendations.

  • Given the challenges in raising finances domestically and falling ODA and FDI, SADC Governments must harness the role of the private sector in financing development, maximising the use of innovative financing sources and mechanisms in order to sustainably provide required services to citizens.
  • National parliaments must enhance oversight on ODA disbursements and PPP contracts in respective countries in order to maximise returns from PPP projects and obtain value for money through the ODA.
  • Member countries must increase advocacy on sustainable financing instruments through Pro-People development finance especially on PPPs including inclusive stakeholder consultations on PPPs. Member countries must enhance capacity development on the implications of International Public Finances on national budgeting cycles.

Role of Parliament in Budgeting and Oversight with Particular Reference to the COVID-19 Pandemic and other Crises

The Standing Committee on TIFI also received and considered an expert presentation from Mr Misael Kateshi, the Head of Department for the Budget Office at the Zambian Parliament. A summary of the presentation was as outlined below.

  • Oversight was one of the functions of the Legislature and in most jurisdictions. The Constitution mandated Parliament to oversee the performance of the Executive functions.
  • The TIFI Committee was informed that crises came in many forms and varying degrees of severity and location. They could be as a result of human activity or could be natural.
  • Measures that governments could take to deal with a crisis or pandemic included fiscal and monetary policy measures. Huge amounts of resources were usually mobilised domestically and externally to deal with any crisis. These measures usually came with accountability issues.
  • The presenter submitted that experience suggested that reasons for accountability challenges included: large scale of spending which triggered rent-seeking behaviour, uncoordinated involvement of many actors created opportunities for inefficiency and leakage, the speed with which interventions were implemented tended to result in Public Financial Management (PFM) regulations being relaxed such as those relating to procurement, accounting for extra-budgetary funds, and ex-post verification.
  • The Committee was informed that it was important for Parliaments to scrutinise the allocation of donated resources and reallocation of savings arising from debt relief such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.
  • It was noted that multi-sector approaches to deal with crises were incomplete without parliamentary involvement. Therefore, oversight mechanisms during a crisis must include activities such as The Parliamentary Committee System, Motions and Petitions, among many others.
  • Therefore, Parliamentary Budget Offices and Research Units and Parliamentary Committees needed to be capacitated and active in order to be relevant in supporting Honourable Members and providing accountability respectively during a crises or pandemics.
  • The presenter emphasised on the need for the crisis resolution process to be transparent and that all stakeholders should have access to information. In addition, closer collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) must exist as they conduct social accountability exercises.
  • It was proposed that Supreme Audit Institutions should as much as possible conduct special audits on programmes to deal with any crisis in a timely manner in order to arrest anomalies.

Following the presentation by Mr Kateshi, the TIFI Committee discussed and drew the following conclusions and recommendations.

  • The SADC Parliamentary Forum and national parliaments must actively engage in capacitating parliamentary budget offices, Research Units and Parliamentary Committees needed in order to be relevant in supporting Honourable Members and providing accountability during a crises or pandemics.
  • There was need for the SADC governments to provide a transparent crisis resolution process and ensure that closer collaboration with CSOs existed. In addition, national parliaments must ensure all stakeholders had easy access to information required for their social accountability exercises.
  • Importantly, Supreme Audit Institutions should as much as possible conduct special audits on programmes to deal with any crisis in a timely manner in order to address the findings in accordance with the provisions of the PFM legislation.
  • Finally, the Committee emphasised the importance of Parliaments to scrutinise the allocation of donated resources and reallocation of savings arising from debt relief such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.

Conclusion and Vote of Thanks

The Chairperson extended his profound appreciation on behalf of the Committee to the resource persons from AFRODAD and the Parliamentary Budget Office in the Zambian Parliament for positively responding to the call. Hon Ndebele urged the Honourable Members to make use of the valuable lessons learnt to make a difference in their oversight, legislative and representative roles in their respective parliaments, including during pandemics and crises.

Some Honourable Members expressed concern on the law participation of some Committee Members. The Committee Chairperson urged all Members to prioritise activities of the Committee even amidst the inability of convening physically to discuss matters that concern the SADC region.

 

Minutes of the Virtual Meeting of The Standing Committee On Trade, Industry, Finance And Investment (TIFI) Held On Thursday, 29th October, 2020

THEME:     Unpaid Care and Domestic Work: Why Should Parliament Care?

Wednesday 14th April 2021

 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Gender equality cannot be talked about without talking about Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW), which a critical, yet largely unseen dimension of human well-being that provides essential domestic services within households and community members.

The current conventional measure of most economies in the world ignores a large portion of work that affects all of us. Most of this work is done by women and girls for free. In 2018, 606 million women of working age declared themselves to be unavailable for employment due to unpaid care work, while only 41 million men were inactive for the same reason. Women, therefore, have less time to engage in paid work, network or participate in activities for societal change. This undermines their well-being, fosters financial dependence and limits options for decent work, to a point of restricting women to low status and part-time jobs in the informal sector.

Women and girls are responsible for 76.2 percent of UCDW. UCDW refers to all non-market, unpaid activities carried out in household, including both direct care of persons such as the sick children or elderly, and indirect care such as cooking, cleaning, fetching water or fuel. These tasks vary in physical effort and intensity depending on socio-economic status and/or marital status. Estimates based on time-use survey data in 64 countries, representing 66.9 percent of the world’s working age population show that 16.4 billion hours are spent in unpaid care work every day. This is equivalent to 2 billion people working 8 hours per day with no remuneration (ILO, 2019). Unpaid care work has been identified as an obstacle to women’s empowerment because women’s disproportionate share has a direct impact on their ability to participate in the paid economy, leading to gender gaps in employment outcomes, wages and pensions.

Target 5.4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals sets the direction on how to address unpaid care work. The first step is to recognise the value of unpaid care work. This will require data on how women and men spend their time. However, only 83 countries have conducted time-use surveys, and only 24 percent of those were conducted after 2010 (UN Women, 2010). Time-use data for developing countries is even more limited due to significant costs and capacities required.

The second step is to reduce the physically demanding and hazardous tasks such as cooking with unsafe fuel sources. Clean cooking for all would save more than100 billion hours per year of women collecting and hauling fuel wood, thereby freeing women’s time to pursue economic opportunities (IEA, 2017). Entry points to reduce time spent on unpaid care work such as electric grinding mills, water taps and biogas plants have been identified.

The third step is to share the remaining hours more equally between all actors, including men, women, states and the private sector. The availability of affordable and quality care services is, therefore, key to promoting women’s economic empowerment and ensure their participation in paid work.

As a result of little evidence being gathered about the extent or distribution of unpaid work in different contexts such as rural and urban, there has been limited understanding of the impact of UCDW on women and girls, causing to receive little consideration in public policy. Against this background, the Committee finds it necessary to outline the need for national Parliaments in the SADC region to recognise, value and validate Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) by ensuring the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies in the region.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this undertaking are to:

  • deepen the Committee’s understanding of the magnitude, dynamics and impact of unpaid care and domestic work and its contribution to gender inequality and low status of women in the SADC region and identify possible avenues;
  • make unpaid care and domestic work a dialogue issue in national Parliaments so that it is recognised and valued;
  • open up space for national policy dialogue on unpaid care and domestic work with the assistance of national Parliaments;
  • encourage SADC member States to conduct of time-use surveys for the development of programmes and policies which will promote the recognition, reduction and redistribution of UCDW; and
  • make recommendations on how parliaments’ role can be enhanced on issues of UCDW.

APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY TO THE MEETING

The Committee will benefit from expert presentations, discussions and interactive dialogue by the following:

  • UN Women;
  • Oxfam International; and
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Concept Note Meeting of the SADC PF Standing Committee On Gender Equality, Women Advancement And Youth Development

THEME:         UNPAID CARE AND DOMESTIC WORK: WHY SHOULD PARLIAMENT CARE?

 

DATE:             WEDNESDAY, 14TH APRIL, 2021 

TIME:            09:30 – 12:30 AND 14:30 – 16:00

VENUE:         VIRTUAL

 

AGENDA

  • Credentials of Delegates and Apologies.
  • Adoption of the Agenda.
  • Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson.
  • Minutes of the SADC-PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development Meeting held virtually on Wednesday, 28th October, 2020, ahead of the 48th Plenary Assembly Session.
  • Matters Arising from the Minutes of the SADC-PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development Meeting held virtually on Wednesday, 28th October, 2020, ahead of the 48th Plenary Assembly Session.
  • Consideration of the Concept Note for the Proposed Theme for the 48th Plenary Assembly Session.
  • Any Other Business.

 

ANNOTATED AGENDA

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION

Adoption of the Agenda

Members are invited to consider and adopt the draft Agenda presented by the Secretariat.

Matters Arising from the Minutes of the SADC-PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development Meeting held virtually on Wednesday, 28th October, 2020, ahead of the 48th Plenary Assembly Session.

The Committee is invited to recall that at its meeting on 28th October, 2020, ahead of the 48th Plenary Assembly Session, the Committee proposed to recommend a strong collaboration with traditional institutions because when laws to do with child marriage or monitoring the age of consent, education or realignment or sentencing are being passed, the main issue was usually tradition.

The Committee also recommended that public awareness on child marriage prevalence, drivers and consequences should be enhanced, and called for greater government leadership and investment in its prevention and mitigation.

Further, the Committee proposed to recommend that a comprehensive post COVID 19 plan for re-opening schools should be put in place. There was need for a multi-sectoral approach, particularly in health and education to develop and communicate well-defined timelines to re-open schools with clear benchmarks and standard.

Consideration of the Concept Note for the Proposed Theme

The Committee is invited to consider and approve the proposed theme namely: Unpaid Care and Domestic Work: Why Should Parliament Care?

For UN Women and Oxfam International to be invited to give expert presentations on the theme under consideration. 

 

Annotated Agenda Meeting of the SADC PF Standing Committee On Gender Equality, Women Advancement And Youth Development

Honourable Members, Ms Boemo Sekgoma-SADC PF Secretary General, and the Secretariat, it’s a great honour for me to make a closing statement for our meeting.

Honourable Members, I am delighted to note that as a Committee we have been able to meet virtually and   hold our meeting as planned, and let me take this opportunity to thank the secretariat for their effort to facilitate the holding of this meeting  

Honourable Members, during this meeting, though short, the Committee has discussed a number of crucial issues in relation to the implementation of the SRHR HIV/AIDS and Governance Project, and a report will be prepared for presentation to the Plenary Assembly.

Honourable Members, let me also express my sincere gratitude to our secretariat for updating the committee on the project implementation. The Presentations were quite informative, and consequently as a Committee we have learnt quite a lot and we now have a clear picture on how the project is being implemented.  

Honourable Members, without wasting much of your time, let me declare the meeting closed and wish you safe stay.

Thank you all, Honourable Members

SALUTATIONS

  • Honourable Members of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development
  • The Secretary General of the SADC PF, Ms Boemo Sekgoma
  • Ms Anne Githuku, UN Women South Africa Country Office Representative
  • Ms Chama Mwandakesa, Women’s Rights Programme Manager, Oxfam Zambia
  • Ms Betty Zulu, Committee Secretary
  • Representatives of Civil Society Organisations
  • Representative of the Media Organisations
  • Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my honour and privilege to welcome you to this very important meeting of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development. As a Committee that has the mandate to consider issues of women empowerment and advancement, we cannot avoid the matter of unpaid care and domestic work. This is why our theme for this meeting is “Unpaid Care and Domestic Work: Why Should Parliament Care.”

Honourable Members, Distinguished Guests

Women empowerment has, in the recent years, become a key focus in the public sector to eradicate poverty. Women empowerment and the autonomy of women and the improvement of their social, political, economic and health status is a highly important end in itself. However, this empowerment and autonomy is hampered by so many factors, one of which is the issue of Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW).

Honourable Members, Distinguished Guests

Women and girls in low income countries are responsible for a disproportionate amount of unpaid care work. It is disconcerting that in 2018, 606 million women of working age declared themselves to be unavailable for employment because of unpaid care work while only 41 million men were inactive for the same reason.

This undermines women’s well-being, fosters financial dependence and limits options for decent work, to a point of restricting women to low status. Unpaid Care and Domestic Work has been identified as an obstacle to women’s empowerment and advancement, and as Parliament, it is time that we start to recognise and value it. 

Honourable Members

The Unpaid care work carried out by women and girls often goes unnoticed and unrecognised in the calculations of a country’s economy. It is not included in labour surveys or in Gross Domestic Products (GDPs). Due to this fact, the realities of women’s and girls’ work burdens are excluded from data that inform policy making.

Distinguished Guests and Partners

SADC member states are committed to ensuring that time-use surveys are conducted and policy measures that promote shared responsibility between men and women within household and family adopted. We are committed to recognising and valuing unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies pursuant to Article 16 of the SADC PF Protocol on Gender and Development. However, this objective can only be achieved with your assistance.

As Members of Parliament we have the opportunity and influence to provide insight into the importance of addressing issues of gender equality and unpaid care work and catalyse and strengthen effective national and regional mechanisms that can develop policy responses to this type of work. 

Honourable Members

We need to make unpaid care work and unpaid work a dialogue issue with relevant stakeholders and promote the systematic use of gender responsive budgeting as a method to analyse this type of work, and incorporate it into the development agenda. We need to identify policy responses and put in place budget lines for implementing policies and ensure that any labour laws, labour markets and social security programmes and labour force surveys include unpaid care and domestic work.

Honourable Members, Distinguished Guests

By recognising, reducing and redistributing unpaid care work, time will be freed for women and girls to engage in formal jobs, and socio-economic and political activities. For example, ensuring that affordable and quality care services, alternative fuels such as solar, biogas and wind energy, and piped water are available, women’s economic empowerment will be promoted.

My earnest appeal is to my female parliamentarians, who face many similar care issues to be motivated to influence other parliamentarians on unpaid care and domestic work so that we start taking it out of the private and family sphere and positioning it as a human rights-based issue.   

My profound gratitude goes to the Secretary General, Ms. Boemo Sekgoma and her dedicated team from the Secretariat for a job well-done in facilitating this virtual meeting. I wish to urge the honourable Members of the Committee to actively participate in this engagement. 

I THANK YOU.

Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development, Wednesday, 14th April, 2021

PRESENT

  • Peete Peete Ramoqai Lesotho
  • Marie Jeanne d’Arc MASY GOULAMALY Madagascar
  • Hon Maria do Carmo do Nascimento Angola
  • Talita Monnakgotla Botswana
  • Lonnie Chijere Phiri Angola
  • Nkhensani Kate Bilankulu                                                                South Africa
  • Busisiwe Dlamini Eswatini
  • Ponde Chunga Mecha Zambia
  • Goodlucky Kwaramba Zimbabwe

ABSENT WITH APOLOGY

  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Seychelles
  • Tanzania

 

IN ATTENDANCE

Ms Boemo Sekgoma                                 Secretary General, SADC PF Secretariat

Ms Agnes M Lilungwe                               Namibia

Ms Zanele Mazibuko                                 South Africa

Mr Ivan R Mouenkoula                              South Africa

Mr Sheuneni Kurasha                                SADC PF Secretariat

Ms Paulina Kanguatjivi                              SADC PF Secretariat

Ms Nomonde Nkayi                                   Mozambique

Ms Mompolo Mosheti                                Botswana

Mr Ferdinand Paiva                                   South Africa

Ms Veronica C Ribeira                               Angola

Mr Becas Mateus                                      Mozambique

Ms Betty Zulu                                            Zambia

Ms Soatsara M D Benandrasana              Madagascar

Ms Sharon Nyirongo                                  Zambia

Mrs Edna Zgambo                                     Zambia

Mr Chawapiwa Mahlaya                            Botswana

 

The meeting was called to order at 09:20 hours

 

AGENDA

  • Credentials of Delegates and Apologies.
  • Adoption of Agenda.
  • Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson.
  • Consideration of Minutes of the Previous Meeting Held at the Southern Sun Hotel, O. R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa on 31st October, 2019, ahead of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session.
  • Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Previous Meeting held at Southern Sun Hotel, O.R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa on 31st October, 2019, ahead of the 46th Plenary Assembly Session.
  • Presentation discussion of the theme “Strengthening Parliaments’ Response in Eradicating Child Marriage During and Post COVID 19
  • Any Other Business.

 

CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES AND APOLOGIES 

Quorum for the meeting was duly constituted and the meeting proceeded.

ADOPTION OF AGENDA

On a motion by Zimbabwe and seconded by Botswana, the agenda was adopted without amendments.

WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 

In his welcoming remarks, the Chairperson expressed his profound gratitude to the SADC Parliamentary Forum for creating a platform for national parliaments to continue engaging despite the unprecedentedly uncertain times of COVID 19 and emphasised the pivotal role parliamentarians had to play in eradicating child marriage in the SADC region by ensuring the establishment and implementation of a robust legal and policy framework. 

The Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement and Youth Development met under the theme “Strengthening Parliaments’ Response in Eradicating Child Marriage During and Post COVID 19” whereupon the Chairperson observed that child marriage was a serious human rights violation rooted in gender inequality, poverty and tradition. The Chairperson further observed that eradicating child marriage would require long term, sustainable action across many different sectors since the causes of the practice were multifaceted.

The Chairperson noted that child marriage in the SADC region had been greatly exacerbated by COVID 19 due to lockdowns, curfews, movement restriction, and school closures and implored parliamentarians to set the political agenda as opinion leaders on ending child marriage by working closely with traditional leaders, pass budgets, monitor implementation, and ensure accountability for both national and international commitments on eradicating child marriage during and post pandemic.

CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD AT THE SOUTHERN SUN HOTEL, O. R TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ON 31ST OCTOBER, 2019, AHEAD OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION

On a motion by Zimbabwe and seconded by Zambia, the minutes of the previous meeting were adopted, without amendments.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD AT SOUTHERN SUN HOTEL, O.R TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA ON 31ST OCTOBER, 2019, AHEAD OF THE 46TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY SESSION.

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

PRESENTATION ON THE AFRICA COMMON POSITION ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE – DR NYARADZAYI GUMBONZVANDA, AFRICAN UNION GOODWILL AMBASSADOR ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE

Dr Gumbonzvanda thanked the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancementh3 and Youth Development and the SADC region for the leadership it had exhibited in the promotion and protection of the rights of children and informed the meeting that Africa had the highest prevalence of child marriage. She stated that it was pleasing that the efforts in Southern Africa were showing a reduction in numbers although the situation in Central Africa was still concerning.

The meeting heard that the African Union (AU) had in 2014 launched a campaign to end child marriage to implement further the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. This was upon the realisation that Agenda 2063 could not be achieved until issues confronting the continent, including gender inequality, disempowerment of girls, abuse and violation of the rights of the girl child were combated.

It was submitted that child marriage was a critical indicator that spoke to a range of violations of human rights and a range of development interventions that the African continent was yet to take. Therefore, the launch of the AU campaign and subsequent adoption in 2015 of the Africa Common Position on Ending Child Marriage was a step towards implementation, monitoring and prioritisation of resources on the continent towards these issues.

The presenter noted that most countries in the SADC region had already launched action plans and aligned the age of consent in the SADC Model Law on Ending Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage to their national legislations and this was why the model law fundamental in driving the implementation of the African Union campaign. She, however, emphasised the need to do more for all SADC states to follow suit.

Dr Gumbonzvanda declared that the AU recognised that there were interventions that needed to be undertaken by the Executive arms of Government with regard to delivering public service in health, education, employment, food security, access to justice and social services, but also recognised that Parliaments had the role to ensure that adequate and appropriate legislation to inform policy and national laws, particularly on child marriage were in place. She also pointed out that the AU recognised the role that human rights institutions had to play in the delivery of the commitment to ending child marriage, and it was in this regard that the African Union Commission on Human Rights and the African Union Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child adopted a Common Statement or joint recommendation on child marriage. Within the same framework, the AU had appointed a Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage to support the advocacy work, guide and support member states as well as to work with civil society organisations (CSOs) and the Special Rapporteur on Ending Child Marriage, who was part of the Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and a cluster of special mandate holders such as the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women, Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security and the Special Envoy on Youth. 

The meeting was also informed that the role of civil society was critical in the work of the AU in driving the awareness, advocacy work and pushing for legislative reform and added that the AU had worked closely with a number of key partners, including Girls Not Brides and Plan International and other partners and donors working at continental and international level as well as UN agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  

The presenter informed the meeting that COVID 19 was an unprecedented crisis which had seen member states taking lock down measures on the most basic operations of life which impacted negatively on children, particularly the girl-child, in ways that no one had anticipated. The closure of schools had resulted in the increase of early pregnancies and child marriage, and its impact on education, livelihoods and employment was unparalleled. The AU through the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and other institutions engaged strongly around the impact that COVID 19 had on communities with the most critical discussions relating to livelihoods and the economy.  

The Members were informed that when COVID 19 first emerged, many African Parliaments were not in session. There was, therefore, no strong legislative voice to speak to the issue of resources and prioritisation of interventions that could not only prevent child marriage but also support and protect children already in marriage. In this vein, there was a gap in the legislative leadership in terms of emergency response.  The other gap regarded decisions which lay in the purview of Parliaments relating to resourcing COVID 19. It was observed that significant resources went to the health sector, and even within the health sector, certain issues critical to young people which impacted on child marriage were not prioritised. There were less services being offered on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV and maternal heath, considering that most women likely to die due to pregnancy-related complications were between fourteen and twenty-four years.  

The other area that was critical was that although many countries had social protection measures such as grants, food assistance or special support to young people, there was no sufficient focus on how to integrate issues around girls at risk or young women at risk of child marriage, teen moms or child-headed households. It was, therefore, very important that within these social protections measures, because these were big envelopes that Parliaments had oversight over, some should have been directed to cushioning young people, particularly girls, so that they did not resort to child marriage.

To conclude, the presenter talked about the role of Parliaments with regard to borrowing. The presenter mentioned that as AU Goodwill Ambassador, and as advisor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, the discussions that were important for the continent was the role of Parliaments when Governments were negotiating for assistance on loans, grants or some other special assistance on budgetary allocations. It was in this process that issues to do with girls’ education and health for young people as well as the critical indicators for the SADC Model Law was also resourced. The integration of child marriage into the COVID 19 response was, therefore, critical.

PRESENTATION ON THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON EDUCATION AND CHILD MARRIAGE AND HOW TO MITIGATE THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE PANDEMIC – MS YVETTE KATHURIMA, HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT, GIRLS NOT BRIDES

The presenter started by informing the meeting that in 2020, the prevalence of child marriage in East and Southern Africa, Sub Saharan Africa and West and Central Africa was 31 per cent, 35 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively. This state of affairs had been exacerbated by the lockdowns, restrictions on movement and the closure of schools, which resulted in worsening cases of mental illness, gender-based violence and inaccessibility to sexual and reproductive health services for young women and girls. The Committee heard that the governments’ restrictions had had severe impact on the global and local economies with families and communities facing extreme stress during the pandemic due to loss of employment. The loss of work meant no source of income, hence the increase in child marriage for dowry. 

Pathways through which COVID 19 was Impacting on Child Marriage

The meeting heard that COVID 19 was impacting on child marriage as set out through the following pathways:

  • Education
  • Disrupted learning through school closures and lockdowns
  • School closures had disproportionately impacted on the poor
  • Limited access to on-line learning for very few girls
  • Children, particularly girls would not return to school
  • Cost of education may become unaffordable for many
  • Preference to educate boys over girls
  • Health
  • Difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive health services
  • Increase in unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Lack of access to menstrual hygiene management products
  • Inability to access psychological support services
  • Increase in Violence against Girls and Women
  • Increase in rates of sexual and gender-based violence
  • Shut down of emergency hotlines, services, shelters and police protection services
  • Increased practices in harmful practices such as female genital mutilation as a precursor to child marriage
  • Economic Impact
  • Loss of income due to unemployment
  • Unequal burden of unpaid care and domestic work
  • Rural, isolated or slum-dwelling communities had become worse off
  • Increased reports of survival sex due to shrinking incomes

Child Marriage and the COVID 19 Response: Key Considerations

The meeting was informed that to mitigate the impact of COVID 19 on education and child marriage, it was important to ensure comprehensive measures in psychological support, education, and economic and sexual and reproductive health services. There was also was need to consider responses during the acute and recovery phase, including advocacy for girls’ return to school after pregnancy their accessibility to sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) information and services. 

The presenter informed the meeting that mitigation against the impact of the pandemic could include understanding gender equalities and harmful norms, as well as understand gender and sex disaggregated data so as to inform the design, implementation and monitoring of interventions. Further, it was important to ensure that girls and women were engaged across countries and agencies as this was critical for amplifying their voices.

Protecting the Progress made on Girls’ Right to Education

The presenter concluded by stating that because education had a profound effect on girls’ and women’s ability to claim other rights and achieve status, it was important to leverage teachers and communities; adopt appropriate distance learning practice; keep financing flowing into education systems and ensure it benefits girls and boys equally; consider the gender digital divide; safeguard vital services; engage young people; and ensure their return to school.

PRESENTATION ON THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK ON ERADICATING CHILD MARRIAGE: UNPACKING THE SADC MODEL LAW ON ERADICATING CHILD MARRIAGE AND PROTECTING CHILDREN ALREADY IN MARRIAGE – MS ANANDITA PHILIPOSE, YOUTH AND GENDER SPECIALIST, UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA) EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE

Ms Philipose started her presentation by informing the Committee that approximately one in three of all girls aged between twenty and twenty-four married before their 18th birthday. Notably, large variations existed between and within countries. In Mozambique, for example, nearly one in two girls, representing 48 per cent, married before their 18th birthday while in Nampula Province, more than three in five girls, representing 62 per cent, married before the age of eighteen and nearly one in five before the age of fifteen.

The Committee heard that while the percentage of child marriages had been decreasing in many countries across the region in the last decade, especially before the age of fifteen, population growth had outpaced the progress made, leading to a growth in the number of girls married. This was because adolescent girls faced multiple challenges, including child marriage, high levels of teenage pregnancy, high levels of violence and vulnerability to HIV transmission, which had been exacerbated in the COVID-19 context.

The Committee further heard that child marriage was likely the cause of three in four girls having children before the age of eighteen, not completing school, reducing future earnings of girl-children by 9 per cent and making them have less decision making ability as well as face higher risk of violence.

  • Unpacking the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages

The presenter gave a brief history and objectives of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages and submitted that it was a framework for action which linked implementation to other efforts under the UNFPA and UNICEF global programme on child marriage. The SADC PF with the support of the UNFPA, through the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme, Girls Not Brides network and Plan International, developed the framework through an extensive consultative process with MPs, civil society organisations, and other collaborating partners of the region. The model law sought to, inter alia:-

  • empower adolescent girls at risk of and affected by marriage
  • work with families and communities to promote positive behaviours towards girls and their rights
  • ensure that health, education, protection and other systems were responsive to the needs and demand of girls
  • support governments in creating a positive legal and policy environment in relation to child marriage
  • use and build the data and evidence on what works to end child marriage and harmful practices

The Committee heard that the objective of the model law was to serve as a yardstick and an advocacy tool for legislators in the SADC region to provide best practice language which could be easily adopted or adapted by member states in their laws with regard to eradicating child marriage. The model law sought to assist policy makers, when developing policies and strategies, legislative drafters, when drafting national laws, lawmakers, when enacting laws, judicial officers when interpreting the laws on and related to child marriage, researchers, when carrying out research, and administrators, when applying and implementing the laws. This would address all the relevant areas in need of legislative reform without usurping the authority of national legislatures to determine the content, extent, style and form of their national laws.

The presenter informed the Committee that the model law enshrined standards from different international human rights instruments and gave SADC member states a legal document on which they could adapt for incorporation in domestic legislation. She stated that while the focus of the SADC Model Law was on child marriage, it also contained provisions for the elimination of harmful, social and cultural practices affecting the welfare, dignity and development of the child, especially those practices which were prejudicial to the health or life of the child and practices which were discriminatory.

The Committee heard that Part III contained the fundamental provisions of the model law which were the prohibition of child marriage, betrothal of a child, and third party involvements to a child marriage such as solemnising, aiding or abetting. The contravention of these provisions constituted an offence and if the offender was a person on whom the child depended, such as a parental relationship, it would be considered as an aggravating circumstance. Further, a marriage contracted before the coming into operation of the law was voidable at the option of either party, and that the property acquired during marriage between partners of a child marriage after the latter is declared void would be equally distributed unless it was inherited.

It was submitted that while part IV of the model law covered measures and interventions to prevent child marriages, part V provided for these measures. In this regard, an obligation was placed on the competent minister to put in place such measures and interventions, in consultation with the appropriate authorities. The expenditure to carry out such measures should come from an anti-child marriage fund directly appropriated by government. Other provisions included a restraining order to be made by the court, on application of a child marriage prohibition officer, appropriate authority or person having personal knowledge of circumstances. There was also an obligation on governments to establish multi-sectoral programmes and incentives to assist delay marriage, set up public safety homes and other public facilities for the residence, care and maintenance of victims of child marriage, strengthening community networks, including traditional leaders and religious authorities and the training of officials to prevent and enforce child marriage law.

Other parts provided for data collection, monitoring, evaluation and public awareness to be conducted by the ministry, and offences and enforcement. It provided, inter alia, for state reports to be sent to the forum on measures taken by the state towards eradicating child marriage and the protection of children already in marriage. Provision is also made for child marriage prohibition officers and the setting up of the anti-child marriage Fund.

In conclusion, the Committee was informed that the SADC Model Law was not an end in itself but a beginning for national Parliaments, CSOs, youth and other intended users of the law for policy and programme design. Continuous efforts were needed to guide advocacy for sustained ownership, capacity building and technical assistance to member states for the implementation of the model law as well as its coordination, financing and strengthening mechanisms for accountability for results.

 

PRESENTATION ON THE UPCOMING REGIONAL ASSESSMENT ON THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON MEASURES TO END CHILD MARRIAGE – MR LAZARUS MWALE, REGIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGER (ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE  18+ CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE IN MIDDLE EAST, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA      

The Committee was informed that the purpose of the regional rapid assessment on the impact of COVID 19 on measures to end child marriage would be carried out between November and December and would be used to generate evidence to inform the development and alignment of programme and advocacy strategies. Further, the assessment was intended to outline strategies for utilisation of the SADC Model law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages during COVID 19 and in the pandemic recovery period. The assessment would seek responses to the following:

  • Situation of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in eastern and southern Africa during COVID 19
  • State of implementation of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages, AU Common Position on ending child marriage in the target countries
  • Measures in place to curb rising or expected spike in teenage pregnancies and child marriage during COVID 19 and to what extent were these implemented
  • Strategies to be employed to reduce the vulnerability of children to child marriage and enhance agency and protection of girls already in marriage, especially during and after COVID 19 pandemic
  • How the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages could be utilised by SADC member states in addressing the impact of COVID 19 on ending child marriage

The meeting heard that the approach would be both qualitative and quantitative and would include desk review, primary data collection through key informants derived from the target population (girls, young women, and boys) United Nations agencies, community leaders, Members of Parliament, government departments, civil society organisations, traditional and community leaders. The presenter submitted that a representative sample of six countries would be drawn to ensure a balanced representation of the Eastern and Southern Africa region

The meeting further heard that the findings of the assessment would used as programmatic recommendations for stakeholders, including young advocates, working to end child marriage in the region, used by the SADC-PF on implementation of the Model law during COVID-19 as well as member states and national parliaments.

Deliberations and Recommendations

In its deliberations on the presentations, the Committee made the following resolutions and recommendations:

  • URGED national Parliaments to strongly support the SADC Model Law on Ending Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages as an already existing framework and reposition it and its indicators within the COVID 19 context by ensuring that programmes, interventions and policy work started from the premise that the pandemic was here and it could be here for a number of years.
  • RECOMMENDED a strong collaboration with traditional institutions because when laws to do with child marriage or monitoring the age of consent, education or realignment or sentencing are being passed, the main issue was usually tradition.
  • URGED national governments to ensure that by-laws being put in place by many countries in the SADC region align with the SADC Model Law Ending Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriages and the Africa Common Position on Ending Child Marriage.
  • CALLED upon national governments to ensure that mainstream justice systems had in place effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to prevent or sanction child marriages. The justice system should criminalise the practice of child marriage as rape or sexual abuse and accord it a befitting sentence.
  • APPEALED to national governments to ensure that sufficient social welfare services are resourced. Serious discrepancies between regions in accessing mechanisms of redress, such as the existence of legal aid, children’s advocates or a children’s court, also meant that children did not have equal access to the help that they need within each country’s justice system.
  • ENCOURAGED national Parliaments to ensure that education spending is safeguarded through freeing up resources by relieving, postponing and restricting debt for low and middle income countries.
  • FURTHER ENCOURAGED national governments to ensure comprehensive measures in psychological support, education, and economic and sexual and reproductive health services.
  • URGED national governments to consider responses during the acute and recovery phase, including advocacy for girls’ return to school after pregnancy and their accessibility to sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) information and services.
  • ENCOURAGED national governments to close the finance gap by exploring new sources of support for education systems, ranging from debt restricting that protects human capital investment to blended finance.
  • RECOMMENDED a comprehensive post COVID 19 plan for re-opening schools. There was need for a multi-sectoral approach, particularly in health and education to develop and communicate well-defined timelines to re-open schools with clear benchmarks and standard.
  • FURTHER RECOMMENDED building public awareness on child marriage prevalence, drivers and consequences, and call for greater government leadership and investment in its prevention and mitigation.
  • URGED national governments to adapt innovative ways of ensuring protection for girls through platforms such as social media, radio, help lines and girls’ clubs to raise the voices and protect girls who were at increased risk.
  • URGED national Parliaments to ensure that their mandate of ensuring rigorous legal and policy frameworks related to child marriages was comprehensive and accompanied by proper training of the Judiciary, police and child protection officials and other stakeholders that are responsible for the implementation and enforcement. .
  • STRONGLY URGED national governments to ensure continuous capacity building of parliamentarians, civil society organisations, youth and other intended users of the Model Law.
  • EMPHASISED the need for gender-sensitive approaches in the education response to COVID 19.
  • REITERATED the continuous capacity building, of parliamentarians, civil society organisations, youth and other intended users of the SADC Model Law

 

VOTE OF THANKS BY THE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON 

The Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Peete Peete Ramoquai, concluded the meeting by thanking all the Members, resource persons and attendees who contributed to the deliberations. He also expressed his profound gratitude to the Secretary-General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and her good office for implementing this virtual meeting of the Committee, and reiterated that eradicating child marriage would require long term, sustainable action across many different sectors since the causes of the practice are multifaceted.

There being no further business to transact, the meeting was adjourned at 15:36 hours

Minutes of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Women Advancement And Youth Development Virtual Meeting Held on 28th October

AT THE

VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE HELD UNDER THE THEME ‘HARNESSING DOMESTIC TOURISM IN TIMES OF PANDEMICS, A CASE OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS’

Let me begin by thanking Honourable Members for your active participation.  To the Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, I commend you for convening this meeting.  May I also take this opportunity to extend my profound gratitude to our Resource Persons for taking time out of your busy schedules to be with us and share this invaluable information.

Hon Members we have learnt from the presentations that the recovery of the tourism sector in the SADC region is going to take long because of other equally important COVID induced challenges that Governments have to deal with.  Of utmost importance is for us to realise that this recovery will not happen without effort.  It is crucial that we devise new strategies and initiatives to support domestic tourism and reignite tourism in its entirety.  Among other things, there is need for more investments to be made in the tourism sector.  Our duty, therefore, is to ensure that we utilise this information that we have received today to lobby our respective countries for more funding towards the tourism sector.

Let me reiterate the fact this engagement has been very insightful and the information shared will definitely assist Honourable Members in respective countries to make legislative recommendations that can contribute to build sustainable tourism sectors.

Lastly, thank you all for your participation.

I thank you.

Closing Remarks - Standing Committee on FANR

AT THE

VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE HELD UNDER THE THEME ‘HARNESSING DOMESTIC TOURISM IN TIMES OF PANDEMICS, A CASE OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS’

SALUTATIONS

  • Honourable Members of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Food Agriculture and Natural Resources;
  • The Secretary General of the SADC PF, Ms Boemo Sekgoma;
  • Our Distinguished Resource Persons:
  • Our Distinguished Participants;
  • Ladies and Gentlemen.

Honourable Members of the SADC PF Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, it is a great honour and privilege for me to welcome you to this meeting.

Hon Members, we are meeting to deliberate on the theme ‘Harnessing Domestic Tourism in Times of Pandemic, A Case of the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Role of Parliaments?’

Hon Members, as you may already be aware, it is now over one year since the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic.  The world has continued to experience many socioeconomic challenges as a result of the pandemic.  The COVID restrictions have brought the global economy and the tourism industry to a standstill. Notably, this pandemic has had a profound impact on the global tourism sector. Travel restrictions, quarantines, and closures of transportations has led to about 22 per cent decline of international tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 2019 and possibly to 60 to 80 per cent for the remainder of 2020.[1]

Hon Members, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the COVID 19 pandemic could cut about 50 million jobs worldwide in the travel and tourism industry.[2] It is noteworthy that the tourism industry accounts for close to 10 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product.

The challenges highlighted above are further compounded by the fact that Africa’s tourism source markets such as China, the United States of America and Europe are amongst the most affected countries by the pandemic.  These countries have in place partial and complete lockdowns as well as other travel restrictions.  While some experts postulate that domestic tourism is driving the recovery of several tourist destinations, this is just partially, as it is not compensating for the drop in international demand.

Further projections indicate that in most countries tourism was not likely to return to pre-pandemic levels until about 2023.  This may even be worse for Africa as its tourism and travel sectors are disproportionately affected by the pandemic coupled with other socio-economic challenges that have been precipitated by the pandemic.  It is likely that Africa will take longer to recover than other regions, primarily due to the lack of domestic and intraregional demand.  Tourism may also not be a priority for many African governments, as concerns about other sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture could be more pressing.  As a result, the impact on the tourism sector in Africa is expected to be far reaching and long lasting.  Southern Africa is already feeling the impact, among other countries, Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have recorded sharp drops in international tourist arrivals.  The UNWTO had indicated that 100 per cent of global destinations continue to have restrictions on travel in place, and 72 per cent have completely closed their borders for international tourism.

Hon Members, it is absolutely very clear to all of us that tourism plays a critical role to our economics.  Tourism contributes significantly to GDP, export earning, employment, human and physical capital investment of SADC countries.  Therefore, tourism has the potential to be a catalyst for recovery across much of the region.

Hon Members, with commitment and dedication, it is possible that tourism can return to pre-pandemic levels.  Diversifying, shifting to more sustainable tourism models and investing in new technologies could help to shape the recovery.  This is an opportunity for respective Member states to focus and support domestic tourism.  In addition, Governments’ policies and interventions will be critical for the recovery of the tourism sector.

The onus, therefore, is for Member countries to begin to re-examine their tourism sectors in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic . It is critical for us to employ innovative ways that can build sustainable and resilient tourism sectors that can endure even in times of crises such as the COVID 19 pandemic.

Hon Members, as already alluded to, many SADC countries thrive on international tourists.  The COVID 19 pandemic has merely validated this fact.  It is also assumed that international tourism will only fully recover after a vaccine is effectively deployed. The current challenge that Members States face is how to sustain operations and preserve jobs until the crisis abates.  At this point, and before the vaccine is fully rolled out, our hope lies in domestic tourism.

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, perhaps a few Member states had taken deliberate measures to boost domestic tourism.  I am also aware that some Members countries have in place measures to mitigate the impact of the crisis on tourism.  However, given the profound impact that the COVID 19 pandemic has had on tourism in the SADC region, it is imperative that urgent action is taken to minimise the economic impacts. 

The onus, therefore, is for SADC countries to begin to rethink tourism and focus on increasing promotion of domestic and intra-African tourism and travel.  This will serve as a catalyst for triggering recovery and stimulating growth in the industry.

The role of Parliamentarians in this matter is critical, as this requires that that policies and legislative measures that can boost domestic tourism are in place.  It is also critical that Parliaments lobby for more budgetary allocation towards the tourism sector to accelerate recovery.

Hon Members, we are privileged today, to have experts in our midst and I have no doubt that at the end of this meeting, we will be equipped with information that will assist us come up with recommendations that can contribute to building resilient tourism sectors.

It is now my honour and privilege to declare the meeting of the Standing Committee on Food Agriculture and Natural Resources officially open.

I thank you.

 

[1] UNWTO (2020a), World Tourism Barometer, vol. 18, No. 2, May

[2] WTTC (2020), Latest research from WTTC shows a 50% increase in jobs at risk in Travel & Tourism, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Available at: https://www.wttc.org/about/media-centre/press-releases/press-releases/2020

Theme:      Harnessing Domestic Tourism in Times of Pandemics: A Case of the COVID 19 Pandemic: The Role of Parliaments

INTRODUCTION

The world is facing an unprecedented global health, social and economic crisis because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Since its outbreak in December 2019, the Pandemic has continued to take a massive toll on global economies including many African countries.  The outbreak and attendant lockdowns have exerted a tremendous impact on the tourism industry worldwide and African countries have been adversely affected, especially those that are dependent on foreign tourists.  Travel restrictions, quarantines, and closures of transportations led to about 22 per cent decline of international tourist arrivals in 2020 compared to 2019 and possibly 60 to 80 per cent over the entire year[1]. At present, the global travel and tourism industry is in a fight for survival with an estimated 50 million global jobs at risk due to the pandemic.

The World Economic Outlook projections indicate that the global economy contracted by 4.4 per cent in 2020 and the shock in tourism-dependent economies would be far worse.  Real Gross Domestic Product among African countries dependent on tourism decreased by 12 per cent.  It is further projected that tourism-dependent countries will likely feel the negative impacts of the crisis for much longer than other economies, because contact-intensive services key to the tourism and travel sectors are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and will continue to struggle until people feel safe to travel again.[2]

Although domestic tourism is driving the recovery of several destinations, this recovery is in most cases only partial, as it is not compensating for the drop in international demand. This supports the proposition that tourism receipts worldwide are not expected to recover to 2019 levels until 2023.

Taking cognisance of the negative impact that the COVID-19 Pandemic is having on the economies of most SADC countries, particularly on the tourism industry which is a major contributor to the GDP of most Southern African counties, it is imperative that measures are put in place or to enhance existing polices and laws in order to sustain the tourism in SADC countries.  Against this background, the Committee will consider the theme “Harnessing Domestic Tourism in Times of Pandemics: A Case of the COVID 19 pandemic: The Role of Parliaments.”

AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MEETING

The aim of the meeting of the Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources is to explore ways that can be employed to boost domestic tourism during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond.

The specific objectives are to:

  • appreciate challenges that Member states are facing to sustain the tourism industry a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic;
  • learn how innovation and digitisation can help to optimize tourism in Member states;
  • establish sustainable measures and strategies to boost domestic tourism; and
  • make recommendations on how tourism can be sustained in times of pandemics.

METHODOLOGY

This activity will be undertaken virtually on Zoom platform.  The Committee will benefit from expert presentations from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), SADC Secretariat and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Arica (COMESA), who possess great insight on the subject matter based on studies that they have undertaken on the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the global economy, which includes tourism.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

It is expected that the meeting will bring to the fore measures and strategies that can promote domestic tourism in SADC countries.  Arising from these measures, it is envisaged that Hon Members will gain valuable knowledge on how to manage tourism even in the midst of pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic.  This will in turn capacitate Hon Members to make legislative recommendations through the various parliamentary processes in their respective countries.

 Concept Note-FANR Domestic Tourism

[1] https://www.unwto.org/news/covid-19-international-tourist-numbers-could-fall-60-80-in-2020.

[2] https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2020/12/impact-of-the-pandemic-on-tourism-behsudi.htm

Date:          Monday, 12th April, 2021

Time:         09:30 – 12:30 hours

14:00 - 16:00 hours

Venue:       Virtual Meeting

1) Credentials of Delegates and Apologies

2) Adoption of the Agenda

3) Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson

4) Consideration of the Minutes and Matters arising from the Minutes of the FANR Standing Committee virtual meeting held on Wednesday, 11th November, 2020

5) Consideration of the Concept Note for the proposed theme for the Standing Committee on FANR ‘Harnessing Domestic Tourism During Pandemics: A Case of the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Role of Parliaments’

6) Any Other Business

 

ANNOTATED AGENDA

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATIONADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

Members are invited to consider and adopt the draft Agenda presented to the Committee.

CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE FANR STANDING COMMITTEE VIRTUAL MEETING HELD ON 11 NOVEMBER, 2021

Members may recall that at the last virtual meeting held on 11 November, 2020, the Committee considered and made recommendations as outlined below.

THE IMPACT OF AFRICAN MIGRATORY LOCUST ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Among other recommendations, the Committee urged SADC Member States to work closely with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO-UN), Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA0 and other institutions to strengthen the existing linkages to ensure effective and timely collective action in managing the AML and other pests that threatened the food security of Southern Africa.  The Committee further recommended that Member Parliaments should advocate and lobby respective Governments to adequately fund and build the capacity of institutions mandated to deal with the control of the of the African Migratory Locusts.

In addition, the Committee had urged Member States to adopt integrated pest management systems in managing the locusts in order to effectively control the further spread of the pests. With regard the adverse environmental effects, the Committee recommended that Member States should periodically carry out environmental impact assessments in order to ascertain the environmental damage that may occur as a result of the use of the chemical pesticides in pest control of the African Migratory Locust.

 CONSIDERATION OF THE CONCEPT NOTE FOR THE PROPOSED THEME FOR THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FANR

The Committee is invited to consider and approve the proposed theme namely: ‘Harnessing Domestic Tourism During Pandemics: A Case of the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Role of Parliaments’

In order to gain insight on the subject matter, the Committee will receive presentations from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and Southern African Development Community.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Annotated Agenda - Standing Committee on FANR

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The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) was established in 1997 in accordance with Article 9 (2) of the SADC Treaty as an autonomous institution of SADC It is a regional inter-parliamentary body composed of Thirteen (14) parliaments representing over 3500 parliamentarians in the SADC region. Read More

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