The President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellence Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has signed and acceded to the Revised Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax and cabinet ministers, among them the Minister of Nationality Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu at Office of the President on 10th May 2017.
The Revised SADC Protocol on Gender and Development provides for the empowerment of women, elimination of discrimination, and the promotion of gender equality and equity through gender-responsive legislation, policies, programmes and projects.
The protocol was revised last year so that its objectives are aligned to various global targets and emerging issues.
The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development entered into force in 2013 following the ratification of the instrument by the requisite two-thirds of Member States. So far 14 Member States including Botswana have signed the Protocol and only Mauritius remained.
Dr Tax said the secretariat and the SADC region welcomed the decision by Botswana government to sign the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
