Moses Magadza in Johannesburg

A workshop aimed at enhancing the monitoring and evaluation framework for the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage got underway in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 5, 2024.

The SADC Parliamentary Forum partnered with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Plan International, Hivos, Girls Not Brides and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to convene the workshop that drew members of the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) of the SADC PF and technical partners.

The workshop follows the recent launch of the SADC PF’s Strategic Plan (2024-2028), which seeks, inter alia, to promote robust democracy, human rights, and socio-economic prosperity across Southern Africa.

The SADC PF – in collaboration with national parliaments in the SADC region – is implementing a Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, HIV and AIDS Governance Project with funding from Sweden. The project seeks to enhance parliamentary leadership on SRHR issues, particularly concerns surrounding child marriage and sexual and gender-based violence.

The goal of the workshop is to collect and consolidate insights from parliamentarians regarding the most effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools to track the domestication of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage.

Expectations are that an M&E framework strengthened during the workshop will establish key indicators for evaluating progress at both national and regional levels.

The SADC PF has identified a gap in the consistent monitoring of Model Laws. The workshop will facilitate interactive sessions where experts will share best practices and gather essential inputs from participants as efforts to eradicate child marriage in the region intensify.

SADC PF Secretary General Ms. Boemo Sekgoma officially opened the workshop and underscored the importance of M&E in assessing the impact of policies on children’s rights.

“Today, we march to draw one step closer towards domestication as we work on the elaboration of an evaluative framework for our Model Law,” she said.

She added, “Without M&E, the theory of change and real impact of initiatives cannot be evaluated.”

The SG said the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage remained critical instrument in combatting child marriage within the region, eight years after its adoption in 2016.

She, however, noted that progress in domestication had been inconsistent across member states.

“Some countries are still very far from adopting the relevant legal norms, while others are closer to implementing them,” she noted and said that at least five SADC countries were still allowing child marriages to persist alongside other harmful practices.

 “The SADC Model Law on Child Marriages is thus very germane to policymaking as we aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.

She explained that the Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) had adopted a structured approach to monitor progress to facilitate better domestication.

 “We found that a more empirical exercise should be conducted to map out the weaknesses in domestication so that countries may find cures tailored to their national contexts,” she said.

She noted that during the initial adoption of the Model Law, “there was huge contestation based on costs and expert roles,” which led to the monitoring and evaluation framework being put aside.

The SG urged participants to engage actively with presenters during the workshop.

“In the end, we envision an M&E tool which is user-friendly, dynamic, comprehensive, and intelligible. Together, we can develop a framework that will not be confined to drawers but will drive progressive domestication,” she stated.

Notable delegates to the workshop are: Hon. Phillipus Wido Katamelo  from Namibia, the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Action (FANRCA) as well as Vice Chairperson of  RPMLOC; Hon. Leonard Mwalwanda from Malawi, Chairperson of the Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights (DGHR) committee; Hon. Ratsiraka Sophie Soamiadana  from Madagascar, DGHR Vice Chair; Hon. Mope Khati from Lesotho, Human Social Development and Special Programs (HSDSP) Chairperson; Hon. Senator Thato ‘Mako Mohale from Lesotho, Gender Equality,Women Advancement and Youth Development (GEWAYD) Vice Chair; Hon. Shally Josepha Raymond  from Tanzania, Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) Chairperson; Hon. Ruth Mendes  from Angola, Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI) committee Chairperson; and Hon. Dr. Afred James Kimea  from Tanzania,  TIFI Vice Chair.