WINDHOEK-(MaraviPost)- Malawi as a sitting chairperson for Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC)’s Parliamentary Women Caucus,  is pushing for legislation of SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC FP), in a bid to effortlessly legitimize development policies in members’ states.

The proposal will give SADC FP mandate through various committees, to follow resolutions, coupled with implement plans amongst member states.

With this agenda, SADC as a regional body, will be required to carry the task of indorsing the proposal for effective implementation of development policies.

In an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post upon arrival from SADC PF Executive meeting that was held in Windhoek, Nambia over the weekend, Jessie Kabwira, SADC’s Parliamentary Women Caucus Chairperson, observed that it was difficult for member states in the grouping to implement various resolutions without a legitimate body.

Kabwira, who is also Malawi’s lawmaker for Salima North-West, said the passing of the historic motion on SADC PF model law on ending child marriage, was experiencing hitches for its implementation, as the body is not legitimized by SADC.

SADC’s Parliamentary Women Caucus Chair, therefore made an appeal to all members’ states to support the proposal ahead of the first-ever SADC Women Parliament, slated for July 6-7, 2017 in Seychelles.

“Soon after I was elected as SADC’s Parliamentary Women Caucus Chairperson, SADC PF moved a historic motion on model law on ending child marriage, which is the first in the world. But we have failed to execute it in member states, as SADC FP is not legislated.

“With the current status, SADC FP remains toothless in all resolutions we have been making. We need the regional body, SADC to legitimize the PF, that it has powers of following up various policy implementation, hence the call for the support in member states on this proposal,” urges Kabwira.

Currently, Malawi is heading SADC Parliament Women Caucus and Gender, but previously chaired the entire SADC PF successfully.