Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) on Friday launched the Zimbabwe SADC Gender Protocol Barometer 2017 report for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in Zimbabwe online under the hashtag #genderbarometerZW2017.
The 2017 Zimbabwe SADC Gender Protocol Barometer report is a collaboration between the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe and the United Nations (UN) entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in Zimbabwe.
The report reflects on Zimbabwe’s progress towards the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women using the articles and provisions of the Post-2015 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development as a benchmark.
It marks many of the country’s achievements, but also highlights gaps and areas where there has been a push back in the socio-economic rights of women and girls.
In 2011 the Alliance introduced both the SADC Gender and Development Index (SGDI) and the Citizen Score Card (CSC) in the annual SADC Gender Protocol Barometer. The SGDI initially measured 23 empirical indicators in six sectors thus governance, education and training, the economy,health, HIV and AIDS, and the media).
Zimbabwe achieved a score of 69% on the revised SGDI which serves as the baseline SGDI for the country moving forward.
The country ranked number three after South Africa (SGDI of 71%) and Mauritius (SGDI of 70%). The Regional SGDI for the 14 SADC countries was 61%.
Women’s participation in national processes at all levels is critical to their freedom of expression and access to information as citizens.
This ensures a broader understanding of the intersection of factors that should inform not only the development of laws and policies, but also most importantly the implementation plans that move laws and polices from paper into action, and the allocation of national resources.
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe will physically launch the Zimbabwe SADC Gender Protocol Barometer 2017 on the 8th of March 2018 on International Women’s Day.
