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The reality in Africa and specifically in Southern Africa is that women are still marginalised in society, economics and politics. Women still make up the higher proportion of those who are impoverished, unemployed, exposed and under threat of physical violence. This threat of violence against women accelerates and intensifies the rate of HIV and Aids epidemic which affects more women and especially younger women and girls. By being a signatory to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development (SPGD) and other regional and international commitments, Southern African member states have made a commitment to take measures to ensure that the obstacles that continue to exist for women in terms of their equal participation in all spheres of life - socially, politically, economically and culturally are removed. The SPGD has 28 targets that have been set for achieving gender equality and equity.
The theme for the second Gender Justice and Local Government Summit in 2011 is "365 days of local action to end gender violence: halve gender violence by 2015". This theme is a reflection of the great lack of understanding about gender and gender equality in communities and myths about gender based violence (GBV) abound.
Files to download:
Local Government and Gender Justice Summit report - 1841676 KB
