I. Background
1. The Office of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (SRRWA) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) is launching a call for contributions to the upcoming edition of its Newsletter. The edition will focus on two key themes: (1) Lifting reservations to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol); and (2) Ratification of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU Convention on EVAWG).
2. While the Maputo Protocol has significantly advanced the rights of women across Africa, some State Parties have entered reservations that limit its full implementation. In parallel, the AU Convention on EVAWG, adopted in 2023, marks a landmark commitment to ending violence against women and girls, but its ratification process is still at its initial stages and remains slow. This Newsletter therefore seeks to highlight the urgency of lifting reservations and accelerating ratification efforts of the AUCEVAWG.
II. Objective
3. The objective of the Newsletter is to:
✓ Raise awareness on the reservations made to the Maputo Protocol and their implications;
✓ Promote advocacy for lifting such reservations;
✓ Promote and encourage the timely ratification and entry into force of the AU Convention on EVAWG;
✓ Provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, country experiences, and strategies related to the themes.
III. Themes and Suggested Topics
4. Contributors are invited to submit articles under the following broad themes:
A. Lifting Reservations to the Maputo Protocol
✓ Overview and impact of reservations on women’s rights
✓ The implication of reservations in the States that made them
✓ Case studies on successful withdrawal of reservations
✓ Advocacy strategies for engaging states to lift reservations
✓ Legal analysis of compatibility of reservations with the Protocol’s object and purpose
B. Ratification of the AU Convention on EVAWG
✓ Emerging and persistent challenges in the protection of women and girls that the AU Convention seeks to address, such as digital violence
✓ The added value of the AU Convention in enriching the African women’s rights discourse and strengthening the normative framework
✓ Status and challenges of ratification by Member States
✓ Role of civil society in promoting ratification
IV. Target Contributors
5. The call is open to:
✓ Human rights practitioners
✓ Academics and researchers
✓ Civil society organizations
✓ State actors and policy makers
✓ Media professionals and legal experts
V. Submission Guidelines
✓ Language: English
✓ Length: Between 800 to 1000 words.
✓ Format: Word document (.docx), font Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 line spacing.
✓ Style: Clear, concise, accessible language and references and sources should be cited appropriately. The use of images is encouraged.
✓ Deadline: All submissions must be sent by 11 September 2025 to the following addresses: all copied.
• MbengueI@AfricanUnion.org
• meroneshetu34@gmail.com
• NareM@AfricanUnion.org
VI. Review and Publication
✓ Submitted articles will be reviewed by the SRRWA Office for alignment with the objectives of the Newsletter.
✓ Only selected articles will be published in the Fourth Edition of the SRRWA Newsletter which will be widely disseminated through the Commission’s communication platforms.
✓ Only contributors of selected articles will be notified.
