By Moses Magadza in Mbabane, Eswatini

SADC Parliamentary Forum lawmakers are among participants in a workshop focusing on strengthening parliamentarians’ ability to use their core responsibilities of lawmaking, oversight, budgeting and representation to protect human rights and prevent regression in law and policy.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Eswatini, His Excellency Henrik Franklin, officially opened the workshop in Mbabane on Wednesday.

He called on African parliamentarians to use their lawmaking, oversight and representative roles to protect constitutionalism, human rights and the participation of all people as democratic institutions face mounting pressure.

H.E. Franklin said parliaments were central to democracy, but were operating in an environment of growing pressure on civic space, public debate, social cohesion and public confidence in governance.

He said these pressures could take the form of efforts to weaken accountability, sideline evidence in policymaking, or restrict the rights and participation of vulnerable groups and key populations.

“Effective parliamentary leadership helps ensure that legislation, public policy, and governance processes remain grounded in constitutional principles, evidence, fairness, and inclusion,” H.E. Franklin said.

The three-day workshop, titled The Role of Parliamentarians in Countering Anti-rights Pushback: Strengthening Constitutionalism, Rule of Law and Human Rights, brings together parliamentary and governance actors from across Africa.

It is convened with the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), the Global Equality Caucus and Outright International.

H.E. Franklin described MPs as lawmakers who shape national legal frameworks, oversight actors who hold governments accountable, and representatives who connect citizens with state institutions.

Those responsibilities, he said, become especially important when democratic norms are under pressure and public debate is polarised.

He urged participants to move beyond discussion and identify practical legislative and oversight measures that can strengthen accountability, inclusion and democratic resilience.

The meeting will also examine the proposed SADC PF Model Law on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law as a tool for reinforcing democratic governance.

“The value of this workshop will lie in the concrete actions that emerge from it,” he said.

H.E. Franklin framed the discussion within existing African commitments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Maputo Protocol and Agenda 2063.

“Our task is therefore not to create new obligations, but to strengthen our collective ability to translate existing commitments into practice,” he said.

He also situated rights and accountability within the development agenda, arguing that strong institutions, independent oversight, transparent governance, and respect for human rights help countries achieve sustainable development, build social cohesion, and withstand crises. He said these principles are essential to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063.

UNDP supports inclusive governance and democratic resilience through its WeBelongAfrica programme and Inclusive Governance Initiative, funded by the governments of the Netherlands and Sweden.

H.E. Franklin said the organisation remained committed to collaborating with parliamentarians and democratic institutions across Africa. He stressed that democracy depends on protecting everyone’s dignity and participation.

“The enduring responsibility of parliamentarians is not merely to make laws, but to uphold constitutional principles, strengthen public trust, and ensure that governance serves every citizen fairly and effectively,” he said.

The workshop takes place against a backdrop of increasingly coordinated campaigns that seek to influence legislation and public debate through appeals to religion, culture, traditional family values and national sovereignty.

Organisers warn that these narratives can intersect with restrictions on civic space, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and the work of human rights defenders.

Parliamentarians will examine ways to respond to restrictive legislative and policy proposals, protect existing constitutional safeguards and promote evidence-based policymaking. Discussions will also address the rights and inclusion of marginalised communities, including sexual and gender minorities.

The programme will introduce participants to the proposed SADC PF Model Law on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law as a possible framework for strengthening democratic governance, institutional accountability and meaningful political participation.

The dialogue builds on SADC PF’s regional work to advance parliamentary engagement on HIV, SRHR and the rights of key populations. This includes the Forum’s Minimum Standards for the Protection of the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Key Populations in the SADC Region, adopted in 2018, which provide a reference for assessing whether national laws and policies protect key populations and address gaps in HIV responses.

SADC PF has also developed the Model Law on HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, a regional legislative framework grounded in human rights and aimed at protecting vulnerable and marginalised groups.

The Forum’s work has included parliamentary sensitisation, resource materials for legislators and regional engagements on SRHR, HIV and governance.

Participants include Members of Parliament from 10 countries, parliamentary leaders and committee members, parliamentary staff and researchers, representatives of constitutional and governance institutions, human rights specialists and civil society organisations.

Around 35 to 40 participants are expected to attend. Through expert presentations, country examples and peer exchange, participants will consider the constitutional and human rights implications of legislation and policy relating to SRHR and sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and sex characteristics.

The workshop is also designed to identify parliamentary entry points for protecting civic space, strengthening accountability and responding to anti-rights narratives in different national contexts.

By the close of the engagement on 6 November, participants are expected to have strengthened their understanding of relevant national, regional and international frameworks, shared parliamentary approaches and identified areas for follow-up collaboration.

Namibian MP Sharonice Davinnia Busch, who is among the youngest SADC PF lawmakers, is among the participants.

• Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.