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Abstract
Rationalising gender in the context of evolving peace and security architecture in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), is both a contentious scholarly and policy issue. Following the operationalization of the SADC Standby Force (SADC SF), concerns have been raised on rationalisation of gender balance in this sub regional security institution. This paper makes a critical analysis on the challenges and prospects of rationalising gender in line with the subregion's quest for gender equity. Through the theoretical lenses of the feminist paradigm, issues to be debated include the relative strengths and loopholes of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development; the significant political, strategic and operational challenges encountered by member states in the effective rationalisation of gender in the SADC SF; What the subregion can do in future to successfully rationalise gender in the SADC SF at strategic and operational levels. Data was gathered from secondary sources which include books, journals, unclassified policy documents and internet websites, newspaper articles and unpublished dissertations related to gender, governance and regional security institutions.
Keywords: Gender rationalisation, SADC Standby Force
Introduction
For the past two decades, Southern Africa has been a relatively peaceful region. However, it has not been immune to peace and security challenges. In order to counter both state and human security threats, the region had to conform with the African Union (AU)'s thrust in terms of enhancing continental peace and security. The establishment of the SADC SF has been in line with the African Standby Force (ASF) Policy Framework. Like any security related initiative, the SADC SF has had its fair share of challenges. Of primacy has been rationalisation of gender balance. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 1325 on women and peace in 2000, urging equal representation of women in every sector of peacekeeping operations. Despite such efforts by the UN, women are still partially incorporated in the SADC SF's peace and security roles which continue to be male dominated. Gender representation has been more on paper than it has been systematically enforced. This is despite of the pressure given by external state and non-state actors towards gender equity. Whilst women have been instrumental in achieving peace and security at grassroots level, their role as crucial players seem not to have...