CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT E D MNANGAGWA ON ASSUMPTION OF SADC CHAIRMANSHIP
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission congratulates His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, ED Mnangagwa on his Assumption of the position of Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This esteemed position presents a pivotal opportunity for advancing regional gender equality and furthering the goals of the Revised SADC Gender Protocol 2030.
Zimbabwe’s Constitution, particularly Section 56, provides a robust framework for gender equality and equity, explicitly outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sex or gender. This constitutional mandate aligns seamlessly with the objectives of the Revised SADC Gender Protocol 2030, which seeks to empower women, eliminate discrimination, and achieve gender parity through comprehensive and responsive legislation, policies, and programs across the SADC region.
Under His Excellency, the President, Zimbabwe has made commendable strides in promoting women’s leadership and representation. The introduction of a specific quota for women in local government is an example of the country’s commitment to achieving equal representation in decision-making roles. The extension of the clawback clause on reserved seats in the National Assembly, the adoption of the youth quota, half of which should be young women, is testament to the efforts by government to tackle barriers to gender equality.
As His Excellency, the President, assumes the chairmanship of SADC, Zimbabwe is therefore uniquely positioned to leverage this role to advocate for increased efforts to meet the Revised SADC Gender Protocol 2030 targets. As the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, we anticipate that HE the President will provide leadership in the following:
- Advocacy for and demonstrating commitment to Gender Equality and Women’s empowerment.
- Policy Influence for regional policies and initiatives that align with the Revised SADC Gender Protocol 2030 targets.
- Collaboration and Partnerships to support gender equality initiatives, sharing best practices.
- Monitoring and Reporting to ensure that member states are held accountable for meeting gender equality targets.
- Awareness and Education to raise awareness and build broad-based support for gender equality initiatives.
Download link: Congratulations to HE SADC
