This is revealed in a new book series, Beyond Inequalities, that presents the status of women and men in the SADC region, and in each member country (excluding the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Seychelles).

The 13-book-series that was launched by Zimbabwe's Minister for National Affairs Employment Creation and Co-operatives, Thenjiwe Lesabe, in Harare, on 7 August 1998, comprises 12 national gender profiles and a regional gender book.

The books are, Beyond Inequalities: Women in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.

The series whose objective is to improve the status of women in the SADC region through raising awareness indicates that southern African women are still a vulnerable group that is yet to enjoy equality in status, and access to services and resources with male counterparts.

In a speech read on her behalf, Minister Lesabe emphasised the importance of documenting and making available information on the status and activities of women in development.

"It is no doubt that information is the key to development, but unless players in development are accurately informed, on the situation of women, the process of positive change will be slow," the minister noted.

The series aims to serve as an information tool for lobbying and advocacy for regional action on the transformation of gender relations at all levels.

The books indicate that while women constitute 51.1 percent of the total population of SADC, their participation in the economy is confined largely to agricultural production for domestic consumption, and labour-intensive tasks essential for household survival, such as fetching water and firewood.

The books also reveal that women's participation and contribution to the economy in their respective countries and the southern African region as a whole, is statistically undervalued, and consequently ignored in many public policy formulations.

Regarding the law, the books reveal that tremendous efforts have over the years been made in the advancement of women's legal status and protection of their human rights.

However, women throughout the region still suffer discrimination and violations of their human rights. Legislators usually assume that the law affects women and men equally, but the reality is different.

Women do not exercise the rights that the laws specifically guarantee them due to among other factors, ignorance of the law and its administration, economic hardships that make it difficult for them to pursue their legal rights, and cumbersome court procedures.

Negative attitudes on the part of law enforcement agents, insufficient information on existing rights, lack of awareness on the existence of the laws, lack of assertiveness and confidence on the part of women, and fear of breaking valued relations with family kin are other contributing factors.

Changing the law alone, therefore, has not proved an adequate answer to women's full enjoyment of human rights. A solution to bridging the gap between law in theory and in practice is still to be found.

Each national gender profile reviews programmes and policies of government, NGOs and other development agencies and players in mainstreaming gender into development.

A highlight of achievements and commitments in the context of the Beijing declaration and Platform for Action is presented with a view to establish links between the current situation and the future ideal, contrasting the situation of women with policy intentions to address it.

The books provide comparative examples and a highlight of initiatives and other developments being made to mainstream gender in development processes at the national and regional level as well as obstacles toward the advancement of women in the region.

In this regard, the books provide an opportunity for countries to share experiences on best practices and learn from each other's mistakes.

The series is co-published by the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) and a network of national partner organisations to the WIDSAA programme with support from the Netherlands Government Directorate of International Co-operation (DGIS), through the Royal Netherlands Embassy regional WID programme.

It is hoped that the books would be found useful by the intended target audience who include policy makers, donor and development agencies, NGOs, women's organisations, researchers, and the media.

• Introduction to the SADC Gender Monitor
• Global, Regional and National Commitments
• SADC Countries' National Priority Areas of Concern