View
1
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
SOAWR Coalition - 1
“The African continent is increasingly seen as the continent of the future and we need to applaud the prominent role that women are playing in running the affairs and
shaping the destiny of the continent.”
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, AUC Chairperson
Report on the Participation of the SOAWR Coalition in the Activities
of the 25th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives
Committee, 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, and 20th
Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union
Theme: Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
21st-28th January 2013
Written by: Oxfam and Alliances for Africa
SOAWR Coalition - 2
ACRONYMS
AfA Alliances for Africa
ASI- African Solidarity Initiative
AU African Union
AUC African Union Commission
AWD African Women’s Decade
CSO Civil Society Organization
ECA Economic Commission for Africa
ECOSOCC Economic, Social and Cultural Council
FAS Femmes Africa Solidarité
FAMEDEV Réseau Inter Africain des Femmes, Médias, Genre et
Développement/Inter-African Network for Women,
Media, Gender and Development
FEMNET African Women’s Development and Communication
Network
GIMAC Gender is My Agenda Campaign
PCRD Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development
PRC Permanent Representatives Committee
RECs Regional Economic Communities
RCA Regional Committee in Africa
SADC Southern African Development Community
SDGEA Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa
SOAWR Solidarity for African Women’s Rights
SOTU State of the Union
UN United Nations
UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
WGDD Women, Gender and Development Directorate
WOLPNET Women of Liberia Peace Network
SOAWR Coalition - 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction………………………………………….....…………………………...4-5
2.0 SOAWR Activities during the January 2013 AU Summit…….............5-9
2.1 21st GIMAC Pre-Summit
2.2 Meetings with AUC Representatives
2.3 Meetings with UN Representatives
2.4 Media Engagement
2.5 Strategic Breakfast Meeting with H.E. Joyce Banda
2.6 Photo Exhibition: DRC/Mali Conflict and Launch of Oxfam Policy
Brief on Refugees of Mali
2.7 International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in
Conflict
3.0 Key Decisions and Appointments of the January 2013 Summit.......9-10
4.0 Achievements, Challenges, Lessons Learned and Follow-Up Actions..11-12
Annex A SOAWR Policy Brief
Annex B SOAWR Press Statement
Annex C Photo gallery
SOAWR Coalition - 4
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In January 2013, the African Union convened the 25th Session of the Permanent
Representatives Committee (PRC), the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive
Council, and the 20th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union under
the theme “Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance’’. This report provides a
summary of SOAWR activities conducted during this African Union Summit and a
reflection of the challenges, lessons learnt, and opportunities for future
engagement. The SOAWR delegation comprised of representatives of Alliances for
Africa (AfA), Oxfam, and the Inter-African Network for Women, Media, Gender and
Development (FAMEDEV).
The SOAWR coalition’s main objective for the Summit were: to meet and network;
to advocate for the ratification of the Maputo Protocol; and to amplify SOAWR
visibility among CSOs and the AU in order to strengthen relations and improve
ways of working to improve implementation of the Protocol. The delegation achieved
this by organising strategic meetings with key players in the AU such as the AUC
Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullah; Commissioner of Rural
Economy and Agriculture, Ms Tumusiime Rhoda Peace; Her Excellency Joyce
Banda, the President of Malawi; UN Special Representative of the Secretary –
General on sexual violence in conflict Ms Zainab Hawa Bangura and UN Women
Executive Director, Michele Bachelet. Members also achieved their objectives by
lobbying government representatives to ratify the Protocol during the PRC and
Executive Council and by interacting with the media.
The SOAWR delegation engaged in the following activities during the AU Summit:
• Participating and lobbying during the opening of the PRC, 21 January 2013
• Meeting with AUC Department of Political Affairs (DPA), 21 January 2012
• Participation in 21st GIMAC Pre-Summit, 22-23 January 2013
• Photo exhibition: DRC/ Mali conflict and launch of Oxfam policy brief on refugees of Mali
• Press Conference of the AU Legal Counsel – Ms. Djenna Diarra, 22 January
• Meeting with AUC Legal Counsel and staff at her office, 23 January
• Meeting with AUC Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi at her office, 23 January
• State OF The Union (SOTU) Launch meeting with PRC at Hilton Hotel, 23 January
• 27th January, 2013 South Sudan signed the Maputo protocol at the legal counsel office.
• 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU, 25-26 January
• Meeting with Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, 24 January
• Breakfast Meeting with H.E. Joyce Banda, President of Malawi, 26 January
• Meeting with the H.E. Macky Sall, President of Senegal - FAMEDEV
SOAWR Coalition - 5
• Side Event on Stopping Sexual Violence in Conflict organized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Intercontinental Hotel, 26 January, 2013
• Inter-Agency CSOs Press Conference on the AU Summit along with OXFAM, State of the union(SOTU), and Sudan Consortium, 26 January
• Opening and Closing of the 20th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State 27-28 January
• CSO Meeting with UN Women Executive Director, 27 January
2.0 SOAWR ACTIVITIES DURING THE JANUARY 2013 AU SUMMIT
2.1 21st GIMAC Pre-Summit
From the 22nd – 23rd January 2013, SOAWR delegation attended the 21st Pre–
Summit Consultative meeting on Gender mainstreaming in the AU under the
auspices of the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC). The meeting was held at
the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The meeting
was organized by the GIMAC network, was coordinated by Femmes Africa Solidarité
(FAS).
The objective of the meeting was to strengthen the gender mainstreaming agenda in
the debates at the African Union level in order to ensure advocacy for women’s
empowerment in social, economic and political spheres can be integrated in the
African Union while reflecting on the theme of the AU Summit. The meeting was
attended by women from all over Africa and was opened by AU Chairperson
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who said “We need to …inspire current and future
generations…. [And] harness energies of young women”. She also recognised the
role of women in stepping to the destiny of Africa.
Peace and security issues dominated the discussions ,women’s CSOs from Central
African Republic, Mali and DRC urging the member states of the African Union, UN
and their Governments to:-
• Enable women to actively participate in the process of peace negotiation, including conflict prevention, disarmament and reconstruction
• Observe all signed instruments, treaties and agreements
2.2 Meetings with AUC Representatives
By adopting the AU-shared value approach as an entry point to direct the
conversation strategically with key departments like
the Women, Gender and development
Directorate(WGDD) to discuss how to strengthen the
capacity for on the rights of African women WGDD.
The delegation successful contacted a meeting with
SOAWR Coalition - 6
Acting Director/Legal Counsel Mrs Djaneba Diarra and staff of the Office of
the Legal Counsel The SOAWR delegation gave a brief overview of the work done
to-date and shared some of the challenges that have been noted both at the
national level as well as at the continental level in terms of ratification,
domestication and implementation of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in
Africa. SOAWR also raised challenges in terms of evidence as to where the
blockages are emerging from and how the coalition can collaboratively make
inroads in the realisation of the Protocol’s provisions for women across the member
states.
Mrs, Djaneba Diarra acknowledged that the Protocol
ratification rate is a success story and indicated that
she was impressed with the strategies employed by the
coalition both at the country and continental levels.
She expressed willingness to collaborate with SOAWR
and proposed sharing information and participating in
meetings.
The Office of the legal counsel invited SOAWR to partner with them on the Sign up
Day on the 27th January. This is a day during which member states, especially
Foreign Ministers and Presidents, sign the AU Instruments and charters. As a
result, the SOAWR delegation was able to strategically lobby the AU commissioners
to popularise the event as well as target key countries, such as South Sudan, who
have yet to sign the Protocol to do so.
The SOAWR delegation also had discussions with AUC
Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha
Abdullahi and other members of the DPA. In these
discussions, several issues were highlighted including
the need for gender mainstreaming in the institutions
of the AUC and the DPA in particular; popularization
of the African Women Protocol at the national level for
lawyers, public servants in ministries,
parliamentarians and the judiciary. The team also
discussed the need to improve communication and better coordination and
collaboration between CSOs and the AUC, especially in sharing information and
technical expertise.
Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture Tumusiime Rhoda Peace
explained that while women play a
big role in agriculture, there are
no statistics to show how many
women engage with the sector and
how much they are contributing.
She also mentioned the issue of
SOAWR Coalition - 7
access to asset and credit for women despite the fact that they work on the land
and own less than 1%. She continued to say how interest on credit for women
tends to be higher than men due to lack of collateral or the fact that many women
do micro-credit projects. This meeting was important because next year’s AU
Summit theme will be Agriculture.
2.3 Meetings with UN Representatives
UN Special Representative of the Secretary – General
on sexual violence in conflict Ms Zainab Hawa Bangura
The Special Representative indicated that a major obstacle
to the ratification of the Protocol by Sierra Leone is the
issue of FGM which is practiced in 14 out of 18 ethnic
tribes. She also stated that the ‘Messenger’ is key to
making inroads with the ratification campaign. She
encouraged SOAWR to look for other partners such as women parliamentary
caucus to push for the avocation of the protocol in non- ratified countries.
CSO meeting with UN Women Executive Director, Michele Bachelet and UN
Women Regional Director, Christine Musisi
The CSO meeting with UN Women representatives
involved a general dialogue on civil society’s work on
gender equality and women’s empowerment and
discussions around CSO’s perspective on Africa’s
renaissance and on the current dialogue on the Post
2015 development agenda. The meeting was a closed
session and only 15 members from women's rights
organisations attended, including Osai Ojigho (AfA),
Faith Ochieng (Oxfam) and Shukri Gesod (Oxfam). The
meeting was mostly centred on the CSW and the need to galvanise and support the
Addis Declaration and the need to start lobbying and influencing governments now
in order to avoid history repeating itself. The discussion included the need to
promote young women’s participation in AU spaces. SOAWR reiterated the need for
consolidated effort in the push for universal ratification and the need for UN
Women to support initiatives that aim at realising the promises enshrined in the
Protocol at the national level and the need to scale up in the domestication and
implementation component of the work.
2.4 Media Engagement
SOAWR members and partners engaged with the media in various ways from
interviews with mainstream media to social media. This included Nigerian TV -
Channels, Southern Africa Broadcast Corporation, and Somalia media. Members
also engaged the media during the inter-agency press conference and had a strong
SOAWR Coalition - 8
social media presence. SOAWR tweets were re-tweeted by Girl effect, Tech women,
NO FGM and FEMNET.
Three Key Messages:
1. The SOAWR coalition calls upon the Non-ratified states to accelerate their
efforts to ratify and implement the Maputo Protocol ahead if its 10th year
anniversary
2. Women’s lives are valuable. We call all Governments and the AU to help fight
gender based violence.
3. Women are the backbone of society. Give them space to voice their opinions
and be part of decision-making processes. The SOAWR Coalition asks that
Heads of State and Government strengthen the presence of women to break
the homogeneity in this domain and improve the quality of decision making
to better serve the citizens. Diversity among members of decision-making
organs is a motor of creativity and innovation, given that it brings additional
knowledge, and skills.
2.5 Strategic Breakfast meeting with Malawi’s President Joyce Banda
The SOAWR Delegation met with, Her Excellency Joyce Banda, President of the
Republic of Malawi to brief her on the coalition’s key priorities and agenda as well
as request for her support and leadership on specific issues regarding the
ratification, domestication and
implementation the Protocol on the
rights of women.
The team briefly presented the
coalition’s focus and challenges in
pushing for universal ratification of
the Protocol, and requested President
Banda to call on the remaining 18
countries to ratify and implement the
Protocol on the Rights of women and,
furthermore, requested Her
Excellency to host a mini- summit to
review the key challenges in actualising the Protocol.
The President re-affirmed her commitments towards pushing the agenda of
women’s rights. She sees herself as a ‘women’s rights activist first’ and head of
state second. She also accepted the request to host a mini- summit
commemorating 10 years of the Protocol.
SOAWR Coalition - 9
She acknowledged at length the tremendous support received from Oxfam Malawi
in pushing for the Gender Based Violence Bill in Malawi when she was still the
Minister of Gender as it enabled her to lobby fellow MPs and mobilise citizens to
gain their support
2.6 Photo exhibition: DRC/ Mali conflict and launch of Oxfam policy brief on
refugees of Mali
The SOAWR Delegates attended a Photo exhibition highlighting the on-going
conflicts in DRC and Mali and the launch of a briefing paper on Mali which Oxfam
and the African Union Commission Peace and Security Department (AUC-PSD)
organised.
The event was opened by AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Ramtane
Lamamra. Over a hundred diplomats and delegates, and around 25 media
representatives attended the inauguration of the exhibition. More than 20 media
interviews were given by Oxfam staff and partners at the photo exhibition.
2.7 International campaign to stop rape and gender violence in conflict
The SOAWR delegation attended the Nobel Women’s Initiative’s International
Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict event . The Nobel Women’s
Initiative is the first global international campaign collaborating with Nobel peace
laureates. The main objective was to draw attention to sexual and gender-based
violence in conflict and call for an end to rape and other gender violence in conflict.
Participants included the UN Special Representative of the Secretary – General on
sexual violence in conflict Ms Zainab Hawa Bangura , Litha Musyimi – Ogana,
Director of the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Development
Directorate among others
3.0 KEY DECISIONS AND APPOINTMENTS DURING THE SUMMIT
Elections of Political office Holders of the AU
• Chairman of the African Union for 2013: H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn,
Prime Minister of Ethiopia. SOAWR would like to congratulate His
Excellency on the election. SOAWR can take advantage of this to push for
Ethiopia’s ratification of the Protocol.
• Mr. Kimelabalou Aba from Togo elected as judge of the AfCHPR.
• Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga from Congo elected as Commissioners for
Human Resources, Science and Technology, young women looking for
mentors
• Dr. Anthony Mothae Maruping of Lesotho elected as Commissioner of
Economic Affairs.
SOAWR Coalition - 10
• Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Algeria, Mozambique and Nigeria was elected
for Membership of the Peace and Security Council for a three year term as of
April 2013.
• Mr. Rafaa Ben Achour (Tunisia), Mr. Daniel Makiesse Mwanawanzambi
(DRC) Mr. Boniface Obinna Okere ( Nigeria), Mrs. Naceesay Salla- Wadda (
Gambia) and Mr. Kholisani Solo ( Botswana) were elected as members of
the African Union Commission on the International Law
Governance and Democracy
Signing and Ratification: Governments of Tunisia, South Sudan and Somalia
signed the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance.
Other Decisions
- PRC and AUC to have a retreat in Feb 2013 to discuss: strategic plan,
theme of the year and implementation of AU decisions.
- Nigeria to host a Special follow up Summit on the Abuja 2001 African
Union Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis etc. in the third quarter of 2013.
- Egypt will host the Economic Forum for Africa within the frame work of
celebrations 50th anniversary of OAU/AU.
- Executive Council adopted a timeline to review election process at the AU
Commission.
- MDGs: The newly elected AU chairperson determined to contribute to the
success of the MDGs in Africa by the deadline of 2015.
SOAWR Coalition - 11
4.0 ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES, LESSONS LEARNED AND FOLLOW-UP
ACTIONS
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Succeeded in meeting and lobbying Ambassadors, Ministers and country
delegates for ratification of the Protocol in 17 states out of the 18 that had
not ratified the Protocol. Only Madagascar was not reached.
• South Sudan signing the Protocol on the Rights of Women during the
summit.
• Obtained full accreditation for members of the SOAWR delegation as
Observers and Press to enable access to the AU Summit venues
• Developed new partnerships with staff of the Department of political affairs,
office of the legal office, Rural Economy and Agriculture, and CSOs working
on promoting women’s rights
• Meeting with H.E. Joyce Banda with commitment to host a mini-summit on
the Protocol
CHALLENGES
• Lack of copies of the Protocol or the abridged Protocol handbook to
distribute during discussions. SOAWR members had to print some copies
from AUC secretariat.
• Inability to post updates on SOAWR Face book and Twitter accounts.
Delegates used personal twitter handles to post updates.
LESSONS LEARNED
• Need for a SOAWR strategy on obtaining observer status and badges by
diversifying our access to accreditation and strengthening relationship with
other departments of the AUC in addition to the WGDD.
• SOAWR visibility and story: Due to changes and lack of sharing information
within the AUC-not many of the people met were aware of all the amazing
work done to date on the Protocol.
• Need to widely disseminate resource materials on SOAWR and translated
copies of the Protocol
• Media planning and key messages and to improve on our Media Footprints
• Need to host side events at the margins of the AU Summits
• SOAWR needs to follow the elections of the AU Organs much closely and see
how we can support the increase of women numbers in critical roles
especially at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS
• Follow-up with all of the delegations and Foreign Ministers since most of
them indicated that they will consult at the country level once they return
SOAWR Coalition - 12
• Advocacy letters for the ratification of protocol to Algeria, Chad, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,
Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sao Tome & Principe, Sudan, South-Sudan.
• Forward to the Department political affairs office, names and CVs of women
for the AU Observer Mission Database
• Engaging the UN Women Regional Director who has shown keen interest in
hearing more about SOAWR and planning for the 10th year anniversary of
the African Women’s Rights Protocol. Possibility of further conversation on
this in Nairobi as UNWOMEN may be able to support the process.
Opportunities
• Possibility of the Gambia Embassy hosting a side event/dinner at the
margins of the May summit on the Protocol.
• Possible collaboration with UN-SRSG for VAW Zainab Bangura office.
• Possible collaboration and opportunity to host strategic Protocol meeting at
the AU-hubs in Geneva, Brussels and NY-Possible reach out to the Africa
Contact group-They've indicated interest as part of the commemorating the
10years anniversary of the Protocol.
• UN Women regional Director-Christine Musisi-indicated interest in
supporting the 10th Anniversary. Currently following up with her office in
Nairobi for a meeting. To be confirmed.
• Donor outreach strategy/plan, media strategy
Other Interesting Information:
• Dr. Zuma Called for a speedy move towards integration, prosperity, and
peace and indicated that the commission is in the process of Concept Paper
which would lay the basis for the Africa Wide Agenda 2016.....With a view to
having a framework document for debate during the Anniversary summit in
May 2013. It is critical to note that CSOs and other related agencies were
not mentioned in the groups for consultations and with four months to go it
is critical to establish the status of the framework and how inclusive was the
process in its inception and construction
SOAWR Coalition - 13
ANNEX A
Media Contact Person: Faith Ochieng , Email: panafrica2@oxfam. Org.uk, Telephone:+254-714-668-019
Policy Brief on the Ratification of the Maputo Protocol January 2013
INTRODUCTION
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) is a coalition with a membership of 43
national, regional and international civil society organizations based in 23 African countries
working toward the protection of women’s human rights in Africa. Since 2004, the Coalition
has actively advocated for the ratification, implementation and popularization of the Protocol
to the African Charter on Human Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (hereafter, the
Maputo Protocol).
In 2012, in an attempt to intensify efforts in the campaign for universal ratification of the
Maputo Protocol, Coalition members embarked on a study to identify the blockages behind
ratification and the opportunities for change with a specific focus on the 22 countries that (at
the time) had not ratified the Protocol. At the Request of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights
of Women in Africa, SOAWR shared the findings of this study during the Report of the
Special Rapporteur at the 52nd
Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’
Rights in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
This Policy Brief shares the findings of the SOAWR study and makes recommendations in
light of these findings.
THE MAPUTO PROTOCOL
Adopted by the African Union in July 11, 2003, and in force since November 25, 2003, the
Maputo Protocol contains progressive provisions for African women, with specific articles
stressing women’s right to: partake in peace negotiation processes and political processes
more broadly, have access to reproductive health services, participate and enjoy sustainable
development, and no longer be subjected to harmful traditional practices such as female
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2012, the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition conducted a study to assess
the status of ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights on the Rights of Women, with a focus on the challenges to ratification and
opportunities for change. The study identifies key obstacles to ratification, including
concerns about particular articles of the Protocol, insufficient awareness and understanding
of the provisions, lack of political will and weak institutional mechanisms. Such challenges
should be addressed as the African Union and Member States prepare to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of the adoption of the Maputo Protocol in July 2013.
SOAWR Coalition - 14
genital mutilation (FGM). The Protocol has been ratified by 36 Member States, four of whom
did so in the span of five months in 2012, namely, the Republic of Congo, Guinea,
Swaziland, and Cameroon.
In 2004, through the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, Heads of State and
Government committed to ratify the Protocol and to enhance and accelerate efforts to
promote gender equality on the continent. Subsequently, by launching the African Women’s
Decade (2010-2020) in October 2010, they renewed their commitment to promoting gender
equality and women’s empowerment, with a particular focus on the grassroots. Nevertheless,
despite these commitments and the unprecedented ratification rate in recent months, the
following states have yet to deliver on their commitment to African women: Algeria,
Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar,
Mauritius, Niger, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra Leone,
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tunisia.
SOAWR STUDY FINDINGS
The SOAWR study mapping the status of the ratification of the Maputo Protocol provides
insight into the stumbling blocks facing ratification in the following states: Algeria, Burundi,
Botswana, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius,
Niger, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
South-Sudan, Sudan, and Tunisia.
The study involved a range of research methods, including an online survey for civil society
organizations, interviews with stakeholders (including government and African Union
officials) and a desk review. The following key obstacles to ratification were identified:
• Lack of awareness (Somalia)
• Lack of political goodwill and weak/poor institutional mechanisms to support the
ratification process
• Concerns about particular articles:
o Article 6 – Mauritius and Egypt
o Article 7 – Sudan and Tunisia
o Article 14 (2) – Burundi, Mauritius, Niger, Sudan
o Article 21 – Burundi
• Religious and cultural conservatism
• Insufficient Financial resources (Sierra Leone, Niger)
The study found that civil society organizations often face challenges in their advocacy for
ratification. These include lack of funding, lack of information about the ratification status,
and bureaucratic delays.
SOAWR Coalition - 15
On a positive note, however, the study also identified positive developments and
opportunities in several countries. These included progressive national laws and policies in
several countries (e.g. Ethiopia, Somalia, and Tunisia), increasing political representation of
women (e.g. Algeria), and an increasing number of organizations and coalitions working on
issues around the Protocol. Furthermore, the Republic of Congo and Guinea ratified the
Protocol within the scope of the study. Subsequently, Swaziland and Cameroon have also
followed suit.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of the study, SOAWR makes the following recommendations.
• Member States, the African Union, and civil society organizations should all intensify
their efforts to raise awareness about the Protocol throughout the continent;
• The African Union should provide updated information about the status of ratification
of the Protocol and other treaties on its website; and
• Member States should prioritize the ratification of the Protocol as the 10th
anniversary
of its adoption draws near.
The complete report on the SOAWR study is available at:
http://femnet.co/index.php/en/other-publications/item/100-report-on-status-of-ratification-of-
protocol-on-the-rights-of-women-in-africa
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights
(SOAWR) is a coalition of 43 civil society
organizations in 23 African countries
dedicated to protecting and advancing
African women’s rights. SOAWR is
working to ensure that the Protocol to the
African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa
remains on the agenda of policy makers
and to urge all African leaders to
safeguard the rights of women through
ratification and implementation of the
Protocol.
Secretariat
Equality Now, Africa Regional Office
P.O. Box 2018-00202
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel. +254-20-2719832 /+254-20-2719913
Fax. +254-20-2719868
Members of the Coalition
BURKINA FASO: Voix de Femmes; BURUNDI: Collectif des Associations et ONGs
Féminines de Burundi; CAMEROON: Women’s Advocacy and Communication Network,
Women Peace Initiatives Association; DJIBOUTI: Union Nationale des Femmes de Djibouti;
EGYPT: Association of Egyptian Female Lawyers; ETHIOPIA: Inter-African Committee on
Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children; THE GAMBIA:
African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies; GHANA: African Women’s
Development Fund; GUINEA: Cellule de Coordination sur les Pratiques Traditionelles
Affectant la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants; KENYA: African Women’s Development and
Communication Network, Coalition on Violence against Women, Equality Now
(Secretariat), Ipas Africa Alliance for Women’s Reproductive Health and Rights, Fahamu
Networks for Social Justice, Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya, Oxfam GB,
Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance, Tomorrow’s Child Initiative, Women Direct;
LIBERIA: Women of Liberia Peace Network, Women NGO’s Secretariat of Liberia;
MALAWI: NGO Gender Coordination Network; MALI: Association des Juristes Maliennes;
MOZAMBIQUE: Forum Mulher; NAMIBIA: Sister Namibia; NIGERIA: Alliances for
Africa, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, Human Rights Law Service, Women’s
Rights Advancement and Protection Alternatives; SENEGAL: Inter-African Network for
Women, Media, Gender and Development, (Fahamu Networks for Social Justice); SOUTH
AFRICA: People Opposing Women Abuse, University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights;
SUDAN: Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA); TANZANIA: Legal
and Human Rights Centre; UGANDA: Action for Development, Akina Mama wa Afrika,
Centre for Justice Studies and Innovations, Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative
for the Advancement of Women, (SIHA), Uganda Women’s Network; ZAMBIA: Women
and Law Southern Africa, Women in Law and Development in Africa; ZIMBABWE: Girl
Child Network
ANNEX B
Media Contact Person: Faith Ochieng
Email: panafrica2@oxfam.org.uk
Telephone: +254-714-668-019
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR)
African Union Summit: Pan Africanism and African Renaissance
Press Statement
“Step up for African Women and deliver on your Commitment for African Women”
SOAWR Coalition calls on:
1. Non-Ratified Countries to Accelerate their efforts to Ratify and Implement the Maputo Protocol ahead of the
50th
Anniversary of the AUC and the 10th
Anniversary of the Protocol.
2. Our lives are valuable. We call all, Governments and the AU to help
fight gender based violence. For every life whether woman, man or child
is important and violence especially gender based violence to treat the
wellbeing of the women and less significant to the men. About VAW and
impunity for the prosecutions for the violations. States can help fight
gender based violence by ratifying the protocol and implementing it in
their countries. Stand up and be counted for supporting women’s rights
and freedom
Women are the backbone of society, give them space to voice their
opinions and be part of decision-making processes. The SOAWR Coalition
asks that Heads of State and Government strengthen the presence of women to break the homogeneity in this
domain and improve the quality of decision making: diversity among members of decision-making organs is a
motor of creativity and innovation, given that it brings additional knowledge, skills and experiences.
The SOAWR Coalition congratulates: Congo, Guinea, Swaziland, and Cameroon for ratifying the Maputo Protocol in the
span of five months in 2012. SOAWR congratulates the 36 member states who have ratified the Protocol on taking this
important step and demonstrating commitment to advancing African women’s rights and gender equality.
Although unprecedented progress has been made with regard to this Protocol, SOAWR emphasizes the need for the
remaining 18 Member States to ratify the Protocol before the 10th
year anniversary of its adoption which will be marked on
11 July 2013. These member states are Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
South Sudan, Sudan, and Tunisia.
Opportunities to harness include Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at the helm of the African Union Commission, new
governments in many African States --such as Somalia with two female Ministers, one of whom also serves as the Deputy
Prime Minister-- an unprecedented number of women in Senegalese and Algerian Parliaments, and the approaching 50th
year anniversary of the OAU/AU.
“It is clear now, more than ever before, that
African Member States must be bold about
respecting and upholding the rights of those who
hold up half the African sky – African Women! Let
there be no delay – no more promises deferred to
tomorrow. Ratify today for the betterment of
tomorrow,” urged Shukri Gesod, Gender Justice
Lead at Oxfam.
SOAWR Coalition
17
About the SOAWR Coalition:
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) is a coalition of 43 civil society organizations in 23 African countries
dedicated to protecting and advancing African women’s rights. SOAWR is working to ensure that the Protocol to the African
Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa remains on the agenda of policy makers and to urge all African leaders to
safeguard the rights of women through ratification and implementation of the Protocol.
Members of the Coalition
BURKINA FASO: Voix de Femmes; BURUNDI: Collectif des Associations et ONGs Féminines de Burundi; CAMEROON:
Women’s Advocacy and Communication Network, Women Peace Initiatives Association; DJIBOUTI: Union Nationale des
Femmes de Djibouti; EGYPT: Association of Egyptian Female Lawyers; ETHIOPIA: Inter-African Committee on Harmful
Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children; THE GAMBIA: African Centre for Democracy and Human
Rights Studies; GHANA: African Women’s Development Fund; GUINEA: Cellule de Coordination sur les Pratiques
Traditionelles Affectant la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants; KENYA: African Women’s Development and Communication
Network, Coalition on Violence against Women, Equality Now (Secretariat), Ipas Africa Alliance for Women’s Reproductive
Health and Rights, Fahamu Networks for Social Justice, Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya, Oxfam GB, Reproductive
Health and Rights Alliance, Tomorrow’s Child Initiative, Women Direct; LIBERIA: Women of Liberia Peace Network, Women
NGO’s Secretariat of Liberia; MALAWI: NGO Gender Coordination Network; MALI: Association des Juristes Maliennes;
MOZAMBIQUE: Forum Mulher; NAMIBIA: Sister Namibia; NIGERIA: Alliances for Africa, BAOBAB for Women’s Human
Rights, Human Rights Law Service, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternatives; SENEGAL: Inter-African
Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development, (FAHAMU Networks for Social Justice); SOUTH AFRICA: People
Opposing Women Abuse, University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights; SUDAN: Strategic Initiative for Women in the
Horn of Africa (SIHA); TANZANIA: Legal and Human Rights Centre; UGANDA: Action for Development, Akina Mama wa
Afrika, Centre for Justice Studies and Innovations, Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of
Women, (SIHA), Uganda Women’s Network; ZAMBIA: Women and Law Southern Africa, Women in Law and Development
in Africa; ZIMBABWE: Girl Child Network
SOAWR Coalition
18
ANNEX C – Photo gallery
SOAWR Coalition
19
SOAWR Coalition
20
Recommended