Africa: The Maputo Protocol’s 19th Anniversary highlights women’s rights challenges, as the African Union draft its Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Since its launch in 2005, African governments have failed to efficiently implement the critical foundation provided by the Maputo Protocol for identifying, preventing and addressing gender-based violence. Laws and policies adopted by countries have been overwhelmingly weak and ambiguous, whilst loopholes persist and many countries do not even have a legal definition of gender-based violence - making it impossible to criminalize behaviors, and identify and support victims. A minority of countries in Southern Africa have set the minimum age of marriage at 18, many governments have entered reservations to the protocol’s Article 6 - guaranteeing gender equality in marriage - and multiple countries have prohibited access to abortions, even in cases where the pregnancy is a result of sexual violence or endangers the health of the woman or endangers the life of the woman or fetus. As the African Union moves toward the adoption of a new convention, activists hope that commitments will be truthful, and that enforcement and implementation will be a priority.
Compiled from: Betty Kabari, “Africa: Political will needed to end violence against women and girls in Africa,” Human Rights Watch, Nov. 28, 2024.
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