These contributions result in typical workloads of 12 - 18 hours per day. Tremendous efforts have been made over the years in the advancement of women's legal status and protection of their human rights Inspite of their large numbers and longer working hours, women in all of SADC have less access to and control over land, credit, and technologies than men. They also have limited access to inputs and services that are needed to perform and facilitate their main economic activities. 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.