FROM THE DESK OF THE SRRWA
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the fourth edition of the Newsletter of the SRRWA. This edition comes at a critical moment for the protection and advancement of women’s rights across the continent, as we reflect on the importance of lifting reservations on key provisions of the Maputo Protocol and accelerating the ratification of the AUCEVAWG.
Reservations to the Maputo Protocol continue to hinder the full realization of the rights and protections that this landmark instrument was designed to secure. While the Maputo Protocol remains a transformative framework for women’s rights across the continent, the persistence of reservations on key provisions undermines its full potential. These reservations create gaps in protection and dilute commitments, thereby limiting the Protocol’s ability to bring about the profound change that African women and girls deserve. It is therefore urgent that States review and lift these reservations, so that the Maputo Protocol can stand in its entirety as a robust safeguard of women’s rights in Africa.
In the same vein, we have witnessed a historic step forward with the adoption of the AUCEVAWG. The adoption of this Convention marks a new frontier in the protection of women’s rights in Africa. Unlike previous frameworks, AUCEVAWG provides a holistic and comprehensive approach to addressing violence against women and girls. It lays out clear obligations for States in prevention, protection, prosecution, and the provision of essential services. Its scope is particularly ground-breaking in that it addresses all forms of violence, including those facilitated by technology. This includes pressing contemporary issues such as femicide, online harassment, trafficking, and violence in humanitarian and conflict settings.
