SADC Model Law on Elections

GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN ADVANCEMENT POLICY

Order Paper- Day 1- Saturday 14 December 2019

Order Paper- Day 1- Monday 22 July 2019

This is the Management Board of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and is composed of seven Speakers of Parliament and seven Members of Parliament at any one time. All Member Parliaments are represented on the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee oversees policy implementation and all issues related to the management of the Forum. It has three Sub-Committees:

• Finance Sub-Committee

• Human Resources Sub-Committee

• Legal Sub-Committee

All sub-committees report directly to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee is the core management body that:

• Monitors implementation of decisions from the Plenary Assembly

• Reports to the Plenary Assembly

• Prepares the agenda for the Plenary Assembly

• Presents the annual budget and audited accounts to the Plenary Assembly

• Submits the annual implementation plan of the Forum

• Recommends constitutional amendments and rules of procedure

• Reviews annual membership contributions

• Appoints staff and ensures gender and geographic representation

• Takes binding decisions between Plenary Assembly meetings

The composition, tenure, and sessions of the Executive Committee are governed by Article 12 of the Constitution.

Click here for the full list of current Executive Committee members

Sub-Committees of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is informed by the following sub-committees:

• Parliamentary Business Sub-Committee

  • Responsible for the business of the Plenary Assembly

  • Composed of: President, Vice President, Plenary Host Speaker, Treasurer, RWPC Chairperson (ex-officio), and Secretary General

• Legal Sub-Committee

  • Advises on constitutional, legal, and procedural matters

• Finance Sub-Committee

  • Advises on the Forum’s financial affairs

• Human Resources and Capacity Development Sub-Committee

  • Recommends terms of service for staff and evaluates PCD Steering Committee reports

The Executive Committee may also establish other Sub-Committees or Ad hoc Committees as needed. Upon election of the President and Vice-President and designation of the Treasurer, the Executive Committee immediately forms the Sub-Committees.

The first meeting of each Sub-Committee is convened by the Secretary General, during which a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are elected.

Procedure for Election to the Executive Committee

Nomination Guidelines

• SG notifies National Parliaments 60 days prior to elections

• Parliaments must submit full nominee details within 30 days

• Nominations that do not follow guidelines are rejected

Election Process

• The Secretary General serves as Returning Officer

• Outgoing Executive Committee confirms nominee credentials

• Electoral College: All Plenary Assembly Members

• Simple majority quorum required for elections

• No repeat elections to President or Vice-President before rotation cycle is complete

• Gender and opposition representation rules apply

• Elections are by secret ballot if multiple candidates are nominated

• Results are announced by the Returning Officer

• Electoral process is open to observers from National Parliaments

Trade, Industry, Finance and Development Integration deals with matters related to economic cooperation, industry and trade, mining, finance and investment and regional integration and infrastructure development;

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

Gender Equality, Women Advancement, and Youth Development deals with issues of gender equality, women advancement, and empowerment as well as youth development and children.

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

Human and Social Development and Special Programmes deals with human and social development issues pertaining to health and combating illicit drug trafficking, HIV/AIDS, human resource development, education, professional training, employment and labour, culture and sport, science and technology and humanitarian issues as well as other issues to be determined accordingly;

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

The Food Agriculture Natural Resources and Climate Action ​Committee deals with matters related to agriculture, fisheries, forestry and wildlife, water and environment, energy, transport, tourism, ICTs, meteorology, food security and natural resources;

COMMITTEE COMPOSITION