AU regional delegate for Southern Africa Dr Ngomo August said this in Lilongwe during the Country’s consultative meeting on the upcoming 37th ordinary Southern African Development Community - SADC summit to be held in South Africa. He said there is need to put up measures that would ensure compliance of the protocols with the aim of reaching 50-50 gender balance.

“This is new agenda for African Union; it is a very good development. If clear approach is pursued, there is positive aspect,” he said adding that Malawi is doing well on women empowerment. 

Executive Director for Action Aid Grace Malera said they organized the meeting to hear from grassroots women on issues that affect them as well as to discuss the four themes to be presented at the SADC summit.

“We are looking around four major themes that we need to be highlighted; these include issues of tax justice, women’s economic empowerment as well as youth empowerment, impact of industrialization on climate change and decent work and equal pay for women,” she said.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among member states. It complements the role of the African Union.