Claudia Forster-Towne
The Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA), through a grant from the Kingdom of Norway, supported the convening of the SADC Extra-Ordinary Session of the Personnel Working Group (PWG) of the of the Interstate Defence and Security Committee, in Lusaka Zambia, from 1 to 4 December 2009. Focused on gender mainstreaming in the SADC armed forces, the meeting explored strategies for increasing the numbers, and improving the quality of involvement, of women in the defence sector. A total of 60 delegates drawn from thirteen of the fourteen SADC countries, namely Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe attended this session. (Madagascar is currently under sanctions).
This meeting was underpinned by various SADC commitments that seek to improve gender equality and representation in the defence forces. Amongst them is the Protocol on Gender and Development that was adopted in 2008, the gender parity principle, as well as the SADC summit decision of 2005 to monitor, on an annual basis, the status of women across SADC defence forces.
The discussions at the meeting were contextualised by two key resources persons, Dr. Monica Juma, AISA’s Executive Director of Research and an expert in peace and security issues in Africa whose presentation forced on the role of the Human Resources Functionaries in the realization of gender equity in the Departments of Defence. The second was Ms. Yetunde Teriba the Head Gender Coordination and Outreach Division, Women Gender and Development Directorate, African Union Commission, who exposed the range of international and regional commitments to gender equality.
Emanating from these presentations was a rigorous discussion on gender in the defence forces that forced primarily on the challenges inhibiting their roles in the defence forces, best practices across the region and the opportunities that need to be seized to accelerate gender mainstreaming. Finally, the session identified practical steps that will facilitate the improvement of gender equality within the defence forces.
A number of consensus points were reached at the meeting as follows:
· That Women’s participation should be broadened at all levels of their respective defence forces
· Gender mainstreaming does not replace the need for targeted women specific policies and programmes.
· Political will and allocation of adequate resources are important prerequisites for the successful transition of concept into practice.
· HR departments need to play a more active role in gender mainstreaming by helping to create an enabling environment through career opportunities, inclusive policies, and gender-friendly equipment and services.
· Departments of defence should help to monitor and regulate that gender mainstreaming is being implemented at all levels. Furthermore, they should ensure that the necessary funds and resources are being allocated to the gender agenda
· Regional gatherings and policies should be viewed as a means to further equality within defence forces by setting gender equity targets as well as establishing mechanisms that ensure regional accountability and participation.
· Better partnerships and relationships need to be established between respective defence forces and regional organisations.
· That give the significance of this agenda, the Personnel Working Group dedicate the next two to three Extra –ordinary session to gender mainstreaming.
Demonstrating a resolve to commence action, the meeting agreed on an outcome document which stipulates various action points that the delegates carried to the respective countries.
The next Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Gender Mainstreaming is scheduled to coincide with the Sixteen Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, and will be held in either Mozambique or Namibia. The event was sponsored by the Kingdom of Norway through, and coordinated by the Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA), within the framework of the Women and Security Project.
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