WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA: Wednesday, 18 August 2021 – The 41^st SADC Summit held in Lilongwe, Malawi, has approved the transformation of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) to a SADC Parliament, together with the roadmap outlining the steps to be undertaken to establish the regional legislature, including the amendment of the SADC Treaty and adoption of the Protocol establishing the regional legislature. 

The 41^st SADC Summit, taking place on 17 – 18 August under the theme: “Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of Covid-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation,” approved the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Parliament and its Roadmap - as a consultative and deliberative body with no law-making or other binding authority. 

To expedite the transformation process, the Summit directed the SADC Secretariat, in collaboration with the SADC-PF Secretariat, to “commence on the amendment of the SADC Treaty with a view to recognise SADC Parliament as one of the SADC institutions under Article 9(1) to be considered by Council during its next meeting in March 2022, and subsequently by Summit in August 2022.” 

The Summit also directed the two Secretariats to prepare the draft Protocol establishing the SADC Parliament. 

“We are delighted to finally witness the fruits of our long toil to have our status upgraded come to fruition. The SADC-PF Secretariat stands ready to work with our colleagues at the SADC Secretariat to implement our proposed roadmap to transform the Forum into a regional Parliament,” said SADC-PF Secretary General, Ms Boemo Sekgoma. 

The SADC-PF was established in 1997 under Article 9(2) of the SADC Treaty and spent its first 15 years of existence operating “less like a parliamentary institution and more like an association of parliaments – convening conferences, workshops and seminars.” However, since 2012 the SADC-PF has been operating like a de facto regional parliament, operationalising its own set of Rules of Procedures, having fully functional Standing Committees, having robust debates on issues of regional interest and concern and adopting resolutions through plenary sessions that parallel parliamentary procedure. The above progress notwithstanding, the SADC-PF had until today’s decision struggled to have its mandate and powers changed to a SADC regional parliament. 

The establishment of the SADC Parliament is an important milestone in SADC’s integration agenda as it will not only ensure that citizens’ views are incorporated into regional policymaking processes but will also put SADC in line with other Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that have their own regional parliamentary assemblies. The SADC region was the only REC of the African Union without a parliament, prompting SADC-PF to be lobbying for its transformation over the last 15 years. 

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WINDHOEK-NAMÍBIA, Terça-feira 17 de Agosto de 2021 – O Fórum Parlamentar da Comunidade para o Desenvolvimento da África Austral (FP da SADC) acolherá amanhã, Quarta-feira 18 de Agosto de 2021, o Lançamento de Consultas às Partes Interessadas acerca da Lei Modelo da SADC sobre a Violência Baseada no Género (VBG).

A Lei Modelo sobre a Violência Baseada no Género procura orientar os Estados Membros da SADC quanto ao desenvolvimento de políticas atuantes e leis eficazes sobre a violência baseada no género. A Lei Modelo sobre a Violência Baseada no Género será uma ferramenta útil para a SADC uma vez que, entre outras coisas, encorajará os legisladores nacionais a promulgarem leis sobre a Violência Baseada no Género onde não elas existam, ou onde existam mas não estejam em conformidade com esta Lei Modelo, a reverem tais leis e promulgarem leis relevantes sobre a Violência Baseada no Género que estejam em conformidade com esta Lei Modelo. Proporcioná também um referencial a analistas políticos, legisladores e implementadores nacionais quanto às melhores práticas no que diz respeito à promulgação e ao tratamento da Violência Baseada no Género

O lançamento contará com personalidades eminentes com uma longa história de defesa dos direitos da mulher e da igualdade de género. A alocução principal será proferida pela Senhora Gotani Hara, Presidente da Assembleia reformada, do Malawi. O Senhor Deputado Tsepang Tsita-Mosena, delegado do Fórum Parlamentar da SADC, do Lesoto, acolherá e fará as observações introdutórias. A Senhora Anne-Marie Mbilabangu, Presidente da Comissão do Grupo Regional das Mulheres Parlamentares do Fórum Parlamentar da SADC, dará as boas-vindas aos convidados, enquanto Caroline Peters, defensora da comunidade contra a Violência Baseada no Género, partilhará experiências de defesa dos direitos das pessoas afectadas pela violência baseada no género e a Senhora Rouzeh Eghtessadi, especialista em saúde pública e Directora Executiva da SAfAIDS, proferirá as observações finais.

Os pormenores da sessão são os seguintes:

Data: Quarta-feira, 18 de Agosto de 2021

Hora: 10h às 12h Hora de Joanesburgo.

ACESSO DOS MEIOS DE COMUNICAÇÃO SOCIAL: As reuniões do Fórum Parlamentar da SADC estão abertas aos meios de comunicação social e os jornalistas interessados em cobri-las devem registar-se na ligação seguinte: https://bit.ly/sadcgbv 

A reunião será transmitida em directo nas plataformas de comunicação social do Fórum Parlamentar da SADC nas ligações abaixo indicadas e gravada para posterior difusão no Canal DSTV 408:

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WINDHOEK-NAMIBIE, mardi, le août 17, 2021 – Le Forum parlementaire de la Communauté de développement de l'Afrique australe (FP SADC) organisera demain, mercredi, le 18 août 2021, le lancement des consultations des parties prenantes de la loi type de la SADC sur la violence basée sur le genre (loi type sur la VBG).

La loi type sur la VBG vise à guider les États membres de la SADC dans le développement de politiques et de lois efficaces sur la violence basée sur le genre. La loi type sur la VBG sera un instrument utile pour la SADC car elle encouragera, entre autres, les législatures nationales à promulguer des lois sur la VBG lorsqu'il n'en existe pas, ou lorsqu'il en existe mais qu'elles ne sont pas conformes à cette loi type, à revoir ces lois et à promulguer des lois pertinentes sur la VBG qui soient conformes à cette loi type ; elle fournira également un point de référence aux analystes politiques, aux législateurs et aux responsables d’exécution au niveau national quant aux meilleures pratiques en matière de promulgation et de traitement de la VBG.

Des personnalités éminentes ayant une longue expérience de la défense des droits des femmes et de l'égalité des sexes participeront à ce lancement. L'allocution principale sera prononcée par l'honorable présidente à la retraite Gotani Hara, du Malawi. L'honorable Tsepang Tsita-Mosena, un délégué du FP SADC du Lesotho, accueillera et fera des remarques introductives. La présidente du Caucus parlementaire régional des femmes du FP SADC, l'honorable Anne-Marie Mbilabangu, souhaitera la bienvenue aux invités, tandis que Caroline Peters, une avocate communautaire spécialisée dans la violence basée sur le genre, partagera ses expériences de défense des droits des personnes touchées par la violence basée sur le genre, et Mme Rouzeh Eghtessadi, spécialiste de la santé publique et directrice exécutive de SAfAIDS, prononcera le discours de clôture.

Les détails de la session sont les suivants :

Date : mercredi, le 18 août 2021 

Heure : 10 h à 12 h, heure de Johannesburg.

ACCÈS DES MÉDIAS : Les réunions du FP SADC sont ouvertes aux médias et les journalistes qui souhaitent les couvrir doivent s'inscrire sur le lien suivant : https://bit.ly/sadcgbv

La réunion sera diffusée en direct sur les plateformes de médias sociaux du Forum parlementaire de la SADC sur les liens ci-dessous et enregistrée pour une diffusion ultérieure sur la chaîne 408 de DSTV :

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WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA, Tuesday 17 August 2021 – The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) will tomorrow, Wednesday 18 August 2021, host the Launch for the SADC Model Law on Gender-based Violence (GBV Model Law) Stakeholder Consultations. 

The GBV Model Law seeks to guide SADC Member States in developing effective policies and efficacious Laws on gender-based violence. The GBV Model Law will be a useful tool to SADC as it will, amongst others, encourage national legislatures to enact GBV laws where none exist, or where they do exist but do not conform with this Model Law to review such laws and enact relevant GBV laws that conform with this Model Law. It will also provide a yardstick to National policy analysts, legislators, and implementers as to best practices in enacting and dealing with GBV.

The launch will feature eminent persons with a long history of advocating for women’s rights and gender equality. The Keynote Address will be delivered by the Retired Honourable Speaker Gotani Hara from Malawi. Honourable Tsepang Tsita-Mosena, a SADC-PF delegate from Lesotho, will welcome and give introductory remarks. SADC-PF Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus Chairperson Honourable Anne-Marie Mbilabangu will welcome the guests while Caroline Peters, a Gender-Based Violence Community advocate, will share experiences of advocating for the rights of people affected by GBV and Ms. Rouzeh Eghtessadi, a public health specialist and Executive Director at SAfAIDS, will deliver the closing remarks.  

Details of the session are as follows: 

Date: Wednesday, 18 August 2021  

Time: 10 am to 12 noon Johannesburg Time. 

MEDIA ACCESS: Meetings of the SADC-PF are open to the media and journalists who are interested in covering them must register on the following link: https://bit.ly/sadcgbv

The meeting will be live-streamed on the SADC-PF social media platforms on the links below and recorded for later broadcast on DSTV Channel 408: 

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Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sadcpf

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Dear Colleagues/partners,

It is with delight that I release this statement to Member Parliaments and partners to commemorate International Youth Day 2021 under the theme of "Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health".

Statement from the Secretary General of the SADC PF on International Youth Day

Na 44ª Sessão da Assembleia Plenária realizada em Maputo, Moçambique, em 2018, o Grupo Regional das Mulheres Parlamentares (GRMP) do Fórum Parlamentar da Comunidade para o Desenvolvimento da África Austral (FP da SADC) patrocinou uma moção aprovada por unanimidade para se elaborar uma Lei Modelo sobre a Violência Baseada no Género a ser utilizada pelos Estados Membros da SADC com vista a evitar, abordar e erradicar várias formas de violência. Foi alcançado consenso entre as partes interessadas que trabalham nesta área no sentido de se avançar com a elaboração de uma Lei Modelo da SADC sobre a Violência Baseada no Género. É contra este pano de fundo que o Fórum Parlamentar da SADC irá lançar rondas de consultas às partes interessadas para se proceder à finalização do projecto de Lei Modelo sobre a Violência Baseada no Género

Objectivo da reunião:

• Envolver e sensibilizar os meios de comunicação social sobre o projecto de Lei Modelo da SADC sobre a Violência Baseada no Género e processo de consultas às partes interessa

Lors de la 44ème session de l'Assemblée plénière qui s'est tenue à Maputo, au Mozambique, en 2018, le Caucus parlementaire régional des femmes (RWPC) du Forum parlementaire de la Communauté de développement de l'Afrique australe (FP SADC) a parrainé une motion adoptée à l'unanimité visant à élaborer une loi type sur la violence basée sur le genre qui sera utilisée par les États membres de la SADC pour prévenir, traiter et éradiquer diverses formes de violence basée sur le genre. Un consensus a également été atteint par les parties prenantes travaillant dans ce domaine pour procéder à l'élaboration d'une loi type de la SADC sur la violence basée sur le genre. C'est dans ce contexte que le Forum parlementaire de la SADC lancera des séries de consultations des parties prenantes afin d'informer la finalisation du projet de loi type sur la VBG.

Objectif de la réunion :

• Engager et sensibiliser les médias sur le projet de loi type de la SADC sur la violence basée sur le genre et le processus de consultation des parties prenantes.

At the 44th Plenary Assembly Session held in Maputo, Mozambique in 2018, the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) sponsored a unanimously adopted motion to develop a Model Law on Gender-Based Violence to be utilised by SADC Member States to prevent, address and eradicate various forms of gender based-violence. Consensus was also reached by stakeholders working in this area to proceed with the development of a SADC Model Law on Gender-Based Violence. It is against this backdrop that the SADC PF will be launching rounds of stakeholder consultations to inform the finalisation of the draft Model Law on GBV.

Meeting objective:

• To engage and sensitize the media on the Draft SADC Model Law on Gender Based Violence and stakeholder consultations process

MEDIA ACCESS: Meetings of the SADC-PF are open to the media and journalists who are interested in covering them must register on the following link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82186802305?pwd=cWYwRFU3UituVmV3LzJaaE1zOVdpQT09

The meeting will be live streamed on the SADC-PF social media platforms on the links below and recorded for later broadcast on DSTV Channel 408: 

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WINDHOEK-NAMÍBIA, Quarta-feira, 07 de Julho de 2021 – As comissões permanentes do Fórum Parlamentar da Comunidade de Desenvolvimento da África Austral (FP-SADC) e o Grupo Regional da Mulher Parlamentar (RWPC) realizam amanhã, Quinta-feira, dia 08 de Julho, uma sessão subordinada ao lema «O Papel dos Parlamentares na Promoção dos Direitos à Autonomia e Integridade Corporal no âmbito da Saúde e Direitos Sexuais e Reprodutivos (SDSR) na SADC».

A sessão, que será orientada pela Aliança SIDA e Direitos para a África Austral (ARASA), tem como um dos propósitos identificar as principais prioridades regionais em termos de políticas para a protecção dos direitos à autonomia e integridade corporal, com uma atenção especial na saúde e direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, e na forma como os mecanismos internacionais podem ser alavancados no sentido de promover os referidos direitos.

WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA, Wednesday 07 July 2021 - The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum's (SADC-PF) Standing Committee on Human and Social Development and Special Programs (HSD&SP) will, tomorrow Thursday 08 July, host a session on " The Role of Parliamentarians in Advancing the Rights to Bodily Autonomy and integrity for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in SADC."

The purpose of the session, to be facilitated by the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), is to amongst others identify key regional policy priorities for protection of the rights to bodily autonomy and integrity, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and how the international mechanisms can be leveraged to advance these rights.