The Southern African Development Community (SADC) made considerable progress in supporting Member States’ capacity to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) following the approval of tools and strategies to guide the regional response to GBV in August 2021.
The European Union-funded programme on Support to Peace and Security in the SADC Region (SPSS), with extensive inputs from Member States, developed two tools namely Regional Sexual Gender-based Violence Training Guidelines and Guideline for developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on SGBV. These tools were used to build a critical mass of service providers capable of effectively responding to GBV, coordinating of SGBV interventions and undertaking public education and awareness raising interventions at national level.
Capacity of police officers/law enforcement, the prison sector and Gender Ministries/Departments in all Member States through regional interventions were strengthened, and in addition, key service providers from, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were trained. The tools are used by Member States to develop national and context specific strategies and guidelines on SGBV in the public sector, including in refugee and humanitarian settings.
To further strengthen capacity, the programme conducted Regional Training of Trainers (TOT) for Investigators from all SADC Member States and engaged Prison/Corrections Commissioners on rehabilitation of SGBV perpetrators, and work is underway to develop a regional guideline on rehabilitation and reintegration of SGBV perpetrators. Engagements were also done with the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation (SARPCCO) Women Network which focused on orienting female police officers on regional SGBV tools and strategies.
In addition, the programme developed a Review and Inventory Report on SGBV legislation, which was also approved by the Ministers responsible for Gender/Women’s Affairs in August 2021. The Report was used to engage and sensitise parliamentarians (MPs) and stakeholders in Seychelles, Eswatini and Namibia and provided a basis for engaging MPs on the implementation and review of SGBV legislation at national level.
GBV data management remains at the centre of the regional response, and the Programme supports ongoing work on the revision and simplification of GBV indicators.
Work is still ongoing and more Member States will be reached through the Programme. It is envisaged that by the time the SPSS Programme comes to an end, there will be stronger regional and national capacity to address the prevalence of SGBV, among other positive outcomes.
