From the desk of the SRRWA
As the SRRWA of the Commission, I address you with immense gratitude and purpose in this latest edition of the SRRWA Newsletter.
Reflecting on recent milestones, the first edition of the Newsletter commemorated the 20th Anniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), while the second was dedicated to the survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
This edition explores the state of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa, highlighting emerging challenges and long-standing violations that women continue to face. It serves as a vital platform to assess progress in advancing gender equality while commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Office of the SRRWA, officially marked on 17 October 2024 under the theme “Intergenerational Legacy of the Mandate of the SRRWA in Shaping the Rights of African Women and Girls.” In light of this milestone, this edition takes a unique approach by exclusively featuring contributions from partner organizations, focusing on various aspects of women’s rights violations that undermine regional efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.
As you explore this Newsletter, you will find it serves as a powerful platform to highlight efforts in advancing the rights of African women and girls, celebrate shared achievements, amplify diverse voices and call for urgent action to protect and promote women’s rights.
This edition particularly highlights the invaluable contributions of our partners, who continue to work tirelessly to promote the principles enshrined in the Maputo Protocol. Through this Newsletter, we address critical issues such as harmful practices, gender-based violence, digital violence, women’s economic empowerment, access to education, and intersectional inequalities, issues that the Office of the SRRWA has long prioritized in collaboration with our partners. Each initiative and every milestone showcased here is a testament to what can be achieved when we pool our resources, expertise, and determination for a common cause.
The progress we have achieved under the Maputo Protocol would not have been possible without the commitment and partnership of our esteemed stakeholders. Our partners, spanning civil society organizations, regional networks, and development partners, have remained steadfast in championing gender equality and empowering women and girls across the continent.
As we move forward in our mission to eliminate barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment, I extend my sincere thanks to the partners of the Office of the SRRWA for their continued support. I also call upon them to deepen our collaboration and reaffirm their commitment to promoting and protecting women’s rights in Africa.
Finally, I express my heartfelt appreciation to all our partners whose efforts are reflected in the stories and achievements captured in this Newsletter. I firmly believe this publication will serve as a source of information, a call to action, and a beacon of hope for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the continent.
I also wish to extend my gratitude to German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the GIZ-African Union AWARE Project and the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, for their invaluable support in making the development and publication of this Newsletter possible.
Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie
Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
