Southern Africa Development Community Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has had an organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation since 1996 that is established by the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation of 2001.132 Its mandate extends to security and rule of law and its overall objective is to promote peace and security in the region. 133 The organ deals with conflict management, prevention and resolution, the development of democratic institutions and practices and observing and monitoring standards contained in international human rights treaties. While the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation is neutral on women, peace and security, the SADC Gender and Development Protocol contains important provisions in this regard. Article 28 of the Revised SADC Gender and Development Protocol has some provisions on peacebuilding and conflict resolution as does the SADC Gender Policy. The SADC Gender Policy has comprehensive provisions on gender, peacebuilding and conflict resolution and seeks to mainstream women’s participation in peacebuilding (Article 4.11). The policy provides for strategies to improve women’s representation and participation in decision making positions, in peacekeeping negotiations and conflict resolution. The SADC Standby Brigade was established in 2008 alongside a Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre. In 2010, the region established a Regional Early Warning Centre. Some SADC member states have increased women’s participation in peace keeping. Statistics from SADC region show a high deployment of women in peacekeeping forces in the AU or UN. In 2015 Malawi’s peace keeping force was almost 50 percent women (48.8%) and Namibia 34.6 percent.134 However this emphasis varies from one country to the next. At the regional level, a Regional Strategy on Women peace and security (2018/2022) and action plan was adopted with a view to mainstreaming gender in peacebuilding, 132 Protocol on Politics, Defense and Security (2001) Available at https://www.sadc.int/documentspublications/show/Protocol_on_Politics_Defence_and_Security20001.pdf 133 SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security. Available at https://www.sadc.int/sadcsecretariat/directorates/office-executive-secretary/organ-politics-defense-and-security/ 134 SADC `SADC Gender and Development Monitor 2016` SADC, Southern African Research and Documentation Centre, 2016 51