12 December 2019, Banjul, The Gambia - The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Secretariat) wishes to inform the general public that the Special Mechanisms (the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons Living with HIV and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV; the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa and the Working Group on Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Africa) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), will be organizing a Sensitization Seminar on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women in Africa, from 17 to 19 December 2019, in Dakar, Republic of Senegal.
The Seminar, which is part of the promotion mandate of the Commission, is being organized within the framework of Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Seminar is organized to sensitize stakeholders on the work of the Commission in promoting and protecting the rights of women in Africa.
The specific objectives are among others to:
- sensitize stakeholders on the existing legislations and soft laws of the Commission on the promotion and protection of women’s rights in Africa and their dissemination;
- engage with stakeholders on the Commission’s successes in the area of promoting and protecting women’s rights in Africa;
- address the key human rights issues affecting women living with HIV in the context of access to health care;
- advocate for the realization of women’s rights to economic, social and cultural development as set out in Article 22 of the African Charter and Articles 12 to 17 of the Maputo Protocol;
- raise awareness on the issue of domestic violence including femicide in Africa and the contribution of the ACHPR in this regard
- identify strategies towards strengthening cooperation between the Commission and other stakeholders;
- identify challenges in domesticating and implementing the Maputo Protocol; and
- build the capacity of stakeholders in report writing techniques under Article 26 of the Maputo Protocol.
The Seminar will be attended by Honourable Commissioners Lucy Asuagbor, Soyata Maiga, Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi and Jamesina E. L. King. Other stakeholders include representatives of Government Institutions, Parliamentarians, NHRIs, International Organizations, NGOs, Academic Institutions and Journalists. The Seminar will be facilitated by Commissioners, Experts and staff of the Secretariat of the Commission.
For further information, please contact:
Secretariat, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Lay-out, Kombo North District Western Region.
PO Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: 220 4410505/6
Fax: 220 4410504
E-mail: Au-Banjul@Africa-Union.Org
