SOAWR Annual Review and Agenda-Setting Workshop

Theme: “Spreading our Wings: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Women’s Rights”
5-7 October 2009, Panafric Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

COMMUNIQUÉ

We, the undersigned members of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition (SOAWR), a pan African Coalition of organisations working for the promotion and protection of women’s human rights in Africa: Having assembled in Nairobi, Kenya from 5th-7th October, in the spirit of partnership as SOAWR Coalition members, with representation from the African Union Commission (AUC), and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM);

Recalling the African Union (AU) member states’ commitments in the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) in 2004 to achieve ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol) and usher in an era of domesticating and implementing the Protocol as well as other national, regional and international instruments on gender equality by all States Parties;

Reaffirming that implementation of the Protocol is imperative to the realisation and enjoyment of women’s rights and the achievement of Africa’s development goals and aspirations;

Concerned that despite the significance of this Protocol in the development process of Africa, as of October 2009 twenty-six (26) member states have not ratified the Protocol, including five (5) member sates that have not even signed on to the Protocol;

Further concerned by the democratic and economic recession in Africa characterized by: enactment of laws that curtail citizens, civil society and media freedoms; adoption and implementation of discriminatory laws such as indecent dressing laws; high levels of unemployment; food insecurity; and discrimination and attacks against sexual minorities; which individually and collectively affect the implementation of the Protocol and the advancement of women’s rights in the region;

Gravely concerned about the threat to lives of human rights defenders and infringements of freedoms of association that impact the promotion, realisation and enjoyment of human rights and women’s rights in some AU member states;

Considering the great opportunity presented by the African Women’s Decade (2010-2020) that will be formally launched in June/ July 2010 to facilitate the full and accelerated implementation of the Protocol and achievement of agreed gender equality targets at different levels;

Acknowledging that the full and accelerated implementation of the Protocol can only be achieved by using a Multi-Sectoral Approach which ensures that all organs of the African Union and governments as well as civil society actors and the private sector work together to promote the realisation of the rights guaranteed in the Protocol;

Hereby recommend as follows:

Recommendations to the African Union Commission

1. Commit resources in its annual budget for each of its Commissions to support the provision of expertise to support member states in the realisation of their commitment to adopt and utilise the Protocol at national levels using the mandates of the various government sectors e.g. health, rural development, etc;
2. Ensure that mechanisms are in place to urge member states that have not ratified the Protocol to take the opportunity to do so before the launch of the African Women’s Decade;
3. Lend support to member states who have difficulties in reporting on implementation of the SDGEA commitments;
4. Strengthen the office of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to report consistently on the status of implementation of the Protocol and make recommendations for further actions.

Recommendations to State Parties to the Protocol

1. Adopt measures that build the state’s capacity to domesticate, implement, and monitor the implementation of the Protocol;
2. Adopt a multi-sectoral approach as the framework to implement, monitor and evaluate implementation of the Protocol by aligning the linkages between gender equality and each sector of government and ensuring the necessary budgetary allocations,
3. Take all necessary actions to ensure that the provisions of the Protocol are mainstreamed in all national policy decisions, legislation, development plans, programmes and activities in all spheres of life and meet the reporting requirements as agreed upon under the SDGEA on progress in this regard;
4. Hold consultations widely with civil society organisations working on women’s rights issues, women’s groups, citizens’ groups and other strategic stakeholders when developing plans for implementation and review;
5. Repeal all existing laws that are discriminatory against women and ensure the protection of the rights of all women and their human dignity in accordance with the Protocol and other international human rights instruments like the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which has been acceded to by 51 countries in Africa;
6. Actively support the creation at the United Nations Human Rights Council of a new special mechanism that would focus on women’s equality before the law and thereby assist in the removal of all laws that discriminate against women.

Recommendations to Civil Society

1. Take the opportunity of the African Women’s Decade to advocate for the universal ratification of the Protocol by member states and demand for increased and sustained budgetary allocation for women’s empowerment issues as part of the regional and national development programs and agenda;
2. Strengthen partnerships with member states to facilitate comprehensive adoption of a multi-sectoral approach in implementing the Protocol;
3. Utilize the African Women’s Decade to mobilise African women at all levels in advocating for the implementation of the Protocol as well as to celebrate women who have significantly contributed to the promotion of women’s rights in Africa;
4. Actively advocate for the creation at the United Nations Human Rights Council of a new special mechanism that would focus on women’s equality before the law and thereby assist in the removal of all laws that discriminate against women.

Recommendations to the United Nations and other Development Partners

1. Allocate resources to support the successful implementation of activities for the African Women’s Decade and for adoption of a multi-sectoral approach in implementing the Protocol and other key human rights instruments which promote and protect women’s human rights and freedom in Africa;
2. With reference to the UN Resolution No. 1888 of September 30, 2009 demanding that all parties to armed conflicts take immediate action to protect civilians, including women and children, from all forces of violence, we urge the UN Secretary General to expedite action and appoint a special representative to provide coherent and strategic leadership to address sexual violence in armed conflict situations as recommended in the Resolution.

Adopted on the 7th of October 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya
[Original Text in English]

Signatories:
Alliance for Africa
African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS)
Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA)
Cellule de Coordination sur les Pratiques Traditionnelle Affectant la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants (CPTAFE)
BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights
Centre for Justice Studies and Innovations (CJSI)
Coalition on Violence against Women in Kenya (COVAW)
Eastern Africa Sub-regional Support Initiative (EASSI)
Equality Now-Africa Regional Office
FAHAMU
FAMEDEV-Inter-African Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development
FEMNET - African Women’s Development and Communication Network
Girl Child Network
Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya (FIDA-Kenya)
Forum Muhler
Inter-African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices (IAC)
Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS)
Legal and Human Rights Centre in Tanzania (LHRC)
Oxfam GB
People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA)
Sister Namibia
Strategic Initiative for the Horn of Africa (SIHA)
Tomorrow’s Child Initiative (TCI)
Uganda Women's Network (UWONET)
Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET)
Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF)
Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA)