The SADC region has made milestone advances toward social and human development challenges in the past year, including HIV and AIDS, and plans to launch trust funds in 2004 to support these initiatives.

The Charter on Fundamental Social Rights was signed in August, during the SADC Summit in Dar es Salaam. The charter, to be used in policy formulation in member states, "is aimed at promoting social development and internationally recognised social rights and labour standards," the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Prega Ramsamy said in his year-end briefing.

SADC Heads of State and Government also met at a special summit in Lesotho in July where they signed the Maseru Declaration on HIV and AIDS. While acknowledging the magnitude of the pandemic, the leaders agreed that the situation is reversible through multi-sectoral strategies that involve partnerships with all stakeholders.

The Maseru declaration is a significant commitment in this regard and an important guideline for policy formulation. SADC is preparing for the establishment, in early 2004, of a Regional Trust Fund on HIV and AIDS.

As part of the World AIDS Day in December, SADC launched the HIV and AIDS Unit in the department of Strategic Planning, Gender and Policy Harmonisation.

"The unit will spearhead SADC’s efforts towards combating the epidemic and will facilitate the development of an HIV and AIDS Policy and Programme at the secretariat," Ramsamy said.

SADC recognises information as a key resource in the pursuit of social and human development goals, the Executive Secretary said, adding that the harmonisation and coordination of SADC programmes and activities over the past year should strengthen the availability and access to information.

The role of an informed media is essential to development, he said. However, there is need to ensure "a conducive working environment for its personnel to operate in to ensure availability and a constant flow of information on developments taking place, both in and outside the SADC region."

To achieve this, consultative meetings will be held to:

• facilitate a review of media laws, harmonisation of press laws and media/information policies; and
• examine mechanisms for the establishment of a regional media accreditation body as provided for in Article 22 of the Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport.

Information 21 is implemented in partnership with other media and information organisations in the region, supported by Belgian Technical Cooperation.

A meeting of the SADC News Agencies Pool (SANAPOOL) working group was scheduled in December to review progress made since it was established a year ago and to provide an opportunity for national news agencies to define a strategy for improving collaboration to ensure speedy dissemination of news to all stakeholders.

Exchange of information in the area of drug control has proved effective in the region, and has resulted in more efficient policy directives at both the regional and national levels to address drug abuses and trafficking.

The region is currently developing the second five-year SADC Regional Drug Control Programme (SRDCP II) to be implemented from 2005-2010.

Education, training and human resources development remain pivotal to regional development and integration, and yet SADC still faces the challenges of "unsatisfactory enrolment rates at all levels and limited supply of high level personnel, which has been aggravated by the devastating impact of the HIV and AIDS," Ramsamy said.

To tackle these challenges, SADC member states have continued to effect policy interventions focused on improving access to education for all social groups. Programmes have been initiated at national level aimed at mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS in the public sector.

Culture remains an integral part of SADC's developmental agenda and the region continues to be active in strengthening cultural knowledge.

The SADC Culture Trust Fund will be launched in March 2004, for the purpose of “promoting, empowering and enhancing cultural exchanges in the SADC region through capacity building and viable utilization of resources.”

As part of a ten-year programme to celebrate SADC cultures annually, Zambia will host the Arts and Culture Mono-disciplinary festival in September 2004.

The SADC Directorate for Social and Human Development and Special Programmes has set the following priorities for 2004:

• Complete a situation analysis on major human development policy concerns and their implications, including appropriate policy options;
• Co-ordinate, facilitate and monitor protocol ratification and implementation;
• Co-ordinate implementation of the SADC HIV and AIDS Programme of Action;
• Launch and operationalise the Regional HIV and AIDS Fund and the Culture Trust Fund;
• Co-ordinate implementation of the regional polio campaign, tuberculosis and malaria programmes, and reproductive health;
• the regional intra-skills development programme, including a financing proposal and co-ordinate its implementation;
• Develop a productivity improvement programme and co-ordinate its implementation. (SARDC)