Luanda - The angolan Cabinet Council assessed today the draft protocol on gender and development of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the proposal for the revision of the Statute of the SADC National Committee, under the process of regional economic integration.

A press communiquee issued at the end of the meeting, chaired by president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, states that the revision of the Statute of the SADC National Committee is aimed at overcoming the constraints identified in the structure and optimizing the functioning of its organs.  

The SADC gender and development protocol aims to empower woman, end discrimination and achieve gender equity and equality through the implementation and development of gender related projects and legislation.

The project is also expected to harmonize the legal instruments on gender equality signed by the member states at continental and global level.

The Cabinet also assessed the convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters within the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), for approval by the parliament, the convention on transfer of sentenced people and the extradiction convenction among the CPLP member states and the legal instrument creating the international legal cooperation network.