The SADC declaration on Gender defines gender mainstreaming as “taking account of gender equity concerns in all policy, programme, administrative and financial activities, and in organisational procedures, thereby contributing to profound organisational transformation”. Gender mainstreaming in water The focus areas for gender mainstreaming in SADC are: resources management can be interpreted as the incorporation  Gender policy and institutional frameworks; of the complex relationship  Women’s human and legal rights, including the elimination of violence against women; between productive and domestic uses of water, paying  Access to, and control of resources; and attention to the importance of  Access to key political and decision making positions. participation in decision making of men and women and the equitable distribution of benefits from improved infrastructure and management structures. Guidelines on integrating gender considerations into water resources management – through all stages from project planning, implementation, and management of water resources – will be elaborated as part of the strategy formulation phase. Specifically, SADC water institutions should promote gender representation and empowerment of women within their structures. 10.3 Capacity Building and Training 10.3.1. Policy: All water institutions in the region at various levels shall make all efforts to collaborate in developing and sharing capacity to carry out their mandate efficiently and effectively The region suffers from shortages and/or imbalanced distribution of material, financial and human resources. This variation in access to resources and capacitated resources directly impacts on the ability of role-players to collaborate on equal basis. Within the context of IWRM, there is a need to ensure that the traditional technical water management skills are supplemented to ensure a more holistic suite of skills. Within this context, the development of non-traditional or “soft” skills become particularly important. Such skills include competence in areas related to legal, negotiation, dispute resolution, IWRM-related technical, diplomacy, participation and social science fields. There is a need to develop the capacity of water sector professionals and institutions in the SADC region through innovative approaches. In particular, initiatives are required that will enhance the financial management capacity of water resources managers and professionals. It is important to recognise the impact of HIV/AIDS on capacity development and institutional strengthening. The personnel and sector institutions in the water sector have not been spared the ravaging effects of HIV/AIDS (illness, deaths and the associated loss of skills and productivity within sector institutions). The water sector should, therefore, collaborate and cooperate with the health sector and other sectors in supporting measures to combat the pandemic in the region. - 52 -