PAP President petitioned to urge African governments to ratify Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa

On the eve of African Human Rights Day, the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network has petitioned the President of the Pan African Parliament, Gertrude Mongella, to urge African governments to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People?s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa as a matter of urgency.

On the eve of African Human Rights Day, the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network has petitioned the President of the Pan African Parliament, Gertrude Mongella, to urge African governments to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa as a matter of urgency.

The petition, endorsed by 58 GEMSA members from 15 countries calls for the immediate ratification of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa by African governments. GEMSA members have emphasised that a true celebration of human rights is not possible if the rights of African women are not given full protection.

GEMSA Chairperson, Colleen Lowe Morna said: “The failure by leaders to formally adopt the Protocol, after it took eight years to get it tabled, is unacceptable.”

At the Third Ordinary Session of the African Union in Addis Ababa in July 2004 governments and Heads of State undertook to sign and ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa by the end of 2004. They also committed to support the launching of public campaigns aimed at ensuring its entry into force by 2005.

The Protocol requires ratification by only 11 countries before it enters into force. Despite this, only five countries – Comoros, Libya, Namibia, Rwanda and Senegal – have ratified the Protocol. In the Southern African region, Namibia is the only country to have ratified the Protocol. GEMSA believes that it is deplorable that the mere six country signatures required for ratification have not been forthcoming to date.

The Protocol is consistent with the position taken by governments in other regional and international instruments. It provides a framework for comprehensive reform of national legislation to guarantee the rights of women. It is therefore inconsistent for African governments to resist the ratification of this Protocol as they have made regional and international commitments towards advancing gender equality.

At a time when women’s rights continue to be threatened because of poverty, HIV/AIDS and other crises, GEMSA urges governments to send out a strong message of commitment to redressing gender imbalances by ratifying the Protocol.

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For more information contact Janine Moolman at Gender Links. Tel: +27 11 622 2877 or email janine@genderlinks.org.za